Twice, will the lotus bloom
by Minie-x-fili
Summary: [Saku&Lee] In time to when it happened before, up to how it came out to be. [A later romance] Sakura... Bloom for me?
1. When I was a child

Dedication: Listen To Your Heart-Animelover5.6 

Story: Twice, does the lotus bloom

Base: Sakura & Lee epic

Disclaimer: There will be no italics, bold, or underline-due to technical difficulties.

Chapter: One-When I was a child.

* * *

-Flash-back-

"Kakashi! I will win!"

A bewildered 11 year old Kakashi inclined his head towards the voice that called his name.

"Huh?"

"Guh...!" A young bobbed-headed male rounded his eyes, narrowing his lips to stop from screeching his frustration.

"Ah, my whole-hearted rival Kakashi, your way of pretending that you didn't hear my beautiful voice is somewhat 'hip' and 'cool', it never ceases to amuse me and thus grows my respect for having you as my eternel rival."

His shoulders shook as he raised a clenched fist slowly upwards.

"YA-TAH! Let us bask in our ever flowing youth as we lead our ninja lives! YEAH! KAKASHI, LEAD WITH MEEEE!"

A trail of dust exploded to Kakashi's right, if he was a bit taller he'd be able to glimpse two green arms raised in God knows what Gai was feeling.

Kakashi turned his body to the explosion; he could have sworn he heard something.

"Hmmm... What was that just now..?"

-Flash-back end-

"Yes... he resembles you alot you know, that kid."

"You mean his shining confidence and most handsome looks?" Gai winked into the sunlight, his oh-so wonderful white white teeth catching a shine, thus giving off an excellent sparkle...

Of which earned a sweat-drop from the masked Kakashi.

"If you like..." Kakashi raised his head to look up in thought, his finger and thumb in place at his chin to complete his 'thinking' pose. "It was weird though.."

"What was, Kakashi my rival-ness."

"Well, I tried to recall a memory, or if you like a flashback of whom that bobbed kid reminded me of,"

The thoughtful upward-pointed finger that was held in consideration went back to its place on Kakashi's chin.

"I know for sure I was looking for you, but I could've sworn you weren't in that picture... Let me think…"

Gai's scum look took for the worse as his masked companion furthered to embarrass him with deciding if that certain recalled memory included him, which Gai KNEW that IT MOST CERTAINLY DID!

"I heard someone speak my name-"

Gai straightened in posture, content that Kakashi now brought him back in the image.

"But I guess that was just the wind..."

His jaw dropped to the floor.

"But what about that magnificent trail of dust that I created with my beaYUtiful powered legs! You must remember that! I know I do!"

"Well..."

"Yes?"

"Sorry, were you talking to me?"

Gai dropped. "Hoi..."

"That kid, being incapable of using ninjutsu and genjutsu... that's quite rare."

Gai, recovering and now standing was looking on at the boy with enormous eye-lashed eyes; the said boy seemed to be in a dispute with some members of his class.

"Yeah," He paused. "Although, I sense a spark in the boy that could somewhat flame," He chuckled lightly. "He could turn out to be a real fire."

"You seem to be planning something, Gai."

"You know me all too well, Kakashi."

"..No I don't."

"Lee! Get back here! Where are you running off to! LEE!" The chuunin in charge of the academy students called in alarm.

"Lee, huh?"

Gai watched the boy run, running off into the distant, his last words burned him.

"You'll see! I WILL BECOME A NINJA!"

-Change scene-

Taking a final huff, Rock Lee dropped to the ground, exhausted and in need of a desperate break.

"No, get back up," He told himself.

"You're 100 punches short, you didn't finish, now you must do 1, 500 push-ups!"

From his position from the floor, he picked up an easy start to his push-ups. His eyes burned with determination as sweat poured down his back, his bowl cut fringe sweat-stuck to his face.

"30, 31, 32-"

His heart raced as an image of his earlier row flashed in his mind.

"75, 76, 77-I, will, win! 81, 82, 83-"

Up. Down. Up. Down. Until he reached his goal, hard work was what he'll do.

The sun was at its lowest, before it would completely diminish from sight 'till next morning.

Once again, Lee fell from exhaustion. If he didn't get something to drink, he was sure to faint, but at that moment he didn't care, because he had gone through his routine and stuck to it correctly, he beat the cow to the moon.

"Yatah!"

Before he knew it, he fell into a dreamless slumber, beneath the comfort of the silken mid-night sky.

-Moments later-

"Damn that Kakashi and his 'hip', 'cool' ways of winning." Gai was in mid step when he halted, he had strolled upon a fallen kid that he immediately familiarized.

"Working into the lateness of the night, what determination."

Gai stepped closer to the clad and shook him lightly.

"Lee, it is a chilly night; with all your hard-working sweat it could be disastrous if you stayed here any longer."

Lee stirred slightly, and then shot up abruptly like a catapult let loose.

"GAH! WHO ARE YOU?" His defences struck, causing him to bring his arms to protect his front.

"What? Has my beauty mesmerised your actions into shock?"

"Well," Lee began to lower his arms as he recognized him as a Konoha jounin. "No, it's just... Why are you up-side down?"

Gai blinked a few times, and then registered what Lee had said. "Oh," He chuckled. "This, well if you care to join me, I shall tell."

Gai began to walk onwards... with his hands.

Lee jumped up and starred at the jounin walking on his hands, shaking off the excess sleep, he ran after him.

"Sensei!"

"Call me Gai."

"Gai-sensei! How long have you done this for?"

"Well, this is only my seventh lap around Konoha, quite a long while to go."

Lee's eyes bulged out, his lips in a tight narrow.

"Kid, you remind me of myself quite alot."

He broke in a smile. "Huh! I DO! But Sensei, why do you do this?"

"Because I lost in a bet-whoop! Almost got a stone there, anyway, I promised myself that I would make 20 laps around Konoha upside-down if I was to lose, and I did."

"But why?"

"Think of it was a punishment, as I lost to my first task; I give myself my own challenge that will... that will- Lee! What are you doing?"

"Oh, ha ha Gai-sensei!" Young Lee was busily jotting down notes in a super-wad pad that suddenly existed in Lee's grasp. "I was just taking notes! Please! Carry on!"

"Very well, yes, my own challenge that will, with the effort of hard work, will turn out for the best and make me stronger."

Strangely enough, there was a tint of fire the erupted in Lee's eyes, momentarily pausing from his writing he gave a confident strike of a pose.

"Yosh! I will join you Gai-sensei!"

Fumbling through his layers of clothing, he put his wad pad away with his pencil. With a front flip, he got on his hands.

"Lee, what are you-"

"With hard work, it'll turn out for the best and make me stronger, right? Then I will join you, Gai-sensei!" Leading on, young Lee with his bowl fringe and awkward pony tail stepped hand after hand, into the night of which Konoha slept. The bond between these two became stronger.

And yet it will become stronger still.

-Elsewhere-

Soft sobs were carried with the night's chirps and chilly howls. A child sat at a back garden that flowered with cosmos and thoroughbreds, delicate tears watering the petals.

Just like young Rock Lee, this child was a bit more unnatural. Her little fists curled up around her legs, as she looked up into the glow of the full moon.

Her dainty locks of pink blossom lay to cover what was said by others to be an abnormally wide forehead. Pink blossoms that described her forename, Sakura.

Along with pure green eyes that stared off into the night. An emerald green that described her family name, Haruno. Haruno-in the spring.

Sakura Haruno.

Cherry blossoms in the spring.

And yet, they call her ugly.

She stood up unevenly, wiping whatever tears that stubbornly came forth. Carefully, she crept across the landing and back up the furnished stairs, towards her room. Sakura passed by her parents' room, seeing that the shoji doors were slightly opened, she peeked in.

They were sleeping peacefully. Two civilians of Konoha, her father a carpenter; her mother a weaves woman. They were a simple family that was born in Konoha, an ordinary lifestyle lived day by day.

Unconsciously, the young spouse brought her finger to her lip, as the other hand went to clasp the shoji door, pushing it aside a bit more to better her view. At the coming year, she'd be able to attend the academy to train as a ninja.

Konoha, as part of the famous five countries are well-known for their ninja's; they must breed more in order to keep their country alive. At most, the young would normally enter the academy on there own accord, whether either one of their parents were a ninja, or if they were part of a clan. It could simply just be following a heroic ninja as a dream to be that person someday.

Some young that have no ninja ties enter for their parent's sake. To help with money, or as thanking to the Hokage for keeping peace with the village, for whatever reason, it was a decision that wasn't forced.

Her parents brought it up one day.

-Flash-back-

"Sakura-chan, it is a new year."

"Yes, mother!"

Little Sakura was excited to test out her new spinning top that she received that Christmas. It was especially carved from the fallen cherry blossom tree that lived at their back garden. Her mother had painted the waves of cherry petals in the wind delicately onto the top, to signify its' belonging to Sakura.

"Sakura-chan, next year you will be old enough to attend the academy for ninja." Sakura's mother folded her apron away and sat with Sakura at the open landing.

Sakura blinked. "Mother?"

"Yes?"

Sakura began to swing her legs, her hands at either side of her, keeping her in balance. "Do you want me to be a ninja?"

Her mother looked back down on her young. Imitating her, she placed her hands at either side and smiled. A bird flew over-head, casting a shadow in mid-flight. Both Sakura and her mother looked up at the bird.

The little Haruno still swung her lithe legs as she set her top spinning. "Because if you want me to, I will."

"Sa-kura…" Her mother was taken aback.

She watched her baby girl control the tops speed, with a long fishing-rod made for the cause.

"Sakura, my baby..." She tilted her head down to take a good look at her daughter. Sakura looked back up to meet her hazel gaze. Sakura jolted, reaching up to cup her mothers face.

"Mother, no, have I upset you? Please don't cry."

"Oh my baby Sakura," She took her daughter in her arms. "I will never force you into anything you do not want to do."

"Really, mother?" Sakura remained snuggled to her mother, as a deer to its doe.

"Of course, my dear. Your decision, it's your decision." She brought her lips to kiss Sakura's forehead.

"Off you go dear, your father will be at the town's lake, and you are to meet with him,"

She wiped her tears with her sleeve, bringing Sakura up and fixing her ruffled attire.

"He wants to see your new top in progress; we'll talk later, okay?"

"Yes, mother!"

Sakura gave her mother a quick hug before sprinting to the front house, placing on her sandals she made through the town to find her father.

Compared to the people around her, she was a very little child. Swarming in and out of the busy civilians, she countered the concept of 'ninja'. Sakura looked up as she recognised the sound that came normally about of the day.

The tapping of ninja's feet atop the roofs tiles.

"Ninja, huh?"

Busy keeping up with the ninja's speed using her eyes, she mistook her way and bumped into a body.

"Oof!"

On the floor, Sakura looked up to see the object of her misfortune, only to gasp in surprise.

White eyes met green.

Sakura hurriedly spoke her apology. She was told of the many noble families in Konoha, by her father.

"Suimasen Hyuuga-san!"

In such surprise, she tried to stand but misplaced where she put her hand and hurt her wrist. "Ow…"

"It's okay." The young Hyuuga bent down and offered his hand.

"Here, let me help you up."

"Arigatou." Sakura bowed respectfully, and then dashed from her spot towards the town's lake.

"Hey, wait! Will you be okay?" Called the young Neji to the girl.

Sakura spun fluently, her little dress frilling about around her. Her hands rose to her chest.

"Hai, I'll be well Hyuuga-san, thank-you!" She sprinted once more, waving behind her before completely disappearing into the crowd.

Hyuuga Neji stood with his hand to his hip, just staring off to where she left.

"Strange girl…"

Sakura began to slow her pace; nearing her destination she could taste the lake in the air. Shoving a bush aside, she jumped down the stepping stones to her father's usual spot at the lake. It was close to the duck cabin, coot ducks would settle there to hatch their young.

Tip toeing through she found her father at the bank, he had caught two huge carps in his basket his wife had weaved, and was now sending them into his own bucket of water.

"Father!" Sakura exclaimed.

"Hm?" He turned around, falling back as his sole daughter jumped in his arms.

"Ah! Now who is this angel that bestowed upon me? Spare me from your beautiful sight!"

"Father! It is me, Sakura-chan your daughter!" Sakura giggled at her fathers charm.

"Oh my, my… How beautiful you look this day, my dear Sakura-chan." He took his hand in hers and kissed the top part, bowing jokingly.

Sakura cupped her mouth in laughter. She then took out her top from her side pouch, proudly raising it in view.

"Ooooh, what a beauty Sakura-chan, care to show me how it works?"

"Yes father," She bowed in mimic to his earlier action. "It works like this!"

With a strong pull to the string, it let loose the top of which spun gracefully on the lake, splashing expert waves around it, giving it a superb show of elegance.

"Well would you look at that? You have perfected the skill Sakura-hime, but I must say no matter how beautiful it rides,"

Sakura was encouraging its spin with the top fishing-rod, lifting her back leg, tongue stuck out in concentration.

"It will never compare to how beautiful my Sakura is."

The green-eyed darling stopped to gaze at her father.

"You… You really mean that?"

He bent down to her height, holding her by her shoulders. "With all my heart, Sakura."

She became teary-eyed. "Father…"

Sakura tackled her father once more. "Woah! Hey there princess, my back will give way if you do that again! Ha ha…"

"Father… it is the time of the ninja academy this coming year, isn't it?"

He looked down at his daughter.

"Would… would you like me to be a ninja?"

"Oh Sakura sweet heart," He wrapped his arms tighter around her. "What I would really love is for you to be happy with whom you are. Whether it is that you are a ninja or an ordinary girl."

Sakura inclined her head upwards.

"Which ever your decision may be, you'll always be special in my eyes."

"Is it my decision?"

"Precisely, my dove."

"Mother had said it was my decision also."

"Yes darling she is quite right. How is your mother dear?"

"She is fine, but I think I upset her somehow…"

"Oh?"

"She cried a bit."

Her father smiled warmly.

"That just means she loves you so much Sakura."

"I love her loads too… I love you loads too father." She smiled at him.

He smiled back.

"But father… I'm still unsure about ninja academy."

"How so Sakrura?" He placed his chin atop her bubblegum covered head.

"I'm not sure why I'm unsure… that's why I'm confused to why I'm unsure of why I'm… unsure?"

He chuckled lightly in her hair.

"How do I put this…? Come here," He sat at the edge of the bank, bringing Sakura onto his lap with the spinning rod he placed in Sakura's hands, he put his hands over hers to guide them out to the floating top.

"Do you know where that spinning top was originally from?"

Sakura beamed as she knew the answer straight off.

"Yes! From the Cherry blossom tree that had fallen in our back garden. That certain tree had been there even before I was born, so it was a very ancient tree."

"Ha ha ha, you are very well informed Sakura," She smiled at his acknowledgement. "Now, why is it you think I did not plant another seed in its place?"

His hand atop hers guided the top around, not quite succeeding in getting it to start.

Sakura furrowed her pink brows in deep thought.

"Because it will take too long for it to bloom before its petals will show, and because spring is almost over it will take longer still?"

Sakura grew impatient that the top would not spin.

"No Sakura, because I don't need another cherry blossom tree, when I already have one."

Sakura, bewildered, looked back at her father.

"Do you mean me, father? But I am not a tree."

"You resemble one."

Sakura still remained confused.

"You're right that a cherry blossom tree will take quite a long time to mature, at first it'll look a bare tree, nothing much to the eye. Though as four seasons change, gradually, the first flower will bloom, bloom until the very last has not yet opened its wings to fly.

You are like that last flower, Sakura."

Sakura bit her lip, disappointed with the outcome to one of her fathers many stories.

"Because all in all, the last bloom of the flowers will turn out to be,"

Sakura turned her attention to the top as she felt her father let go in order for her to drive the stick. With a slow accurate pull, she let out a jut that sent the top spinning gracefully, once again into the glowing sunrise.

"The most beautiful of them all."

-Flash-back end-

"Father…"

Little Sakura silently closed the shoji doors, pacing in the direction of her room; she entered with the slide of the door shutting behind her.

"Do you really mean that…?"

Sitting cross-legged on her futon, she was faced with her reflection displayed by the whole-length mirror across from her bed.

"Can someone like me… really become a ninja?"

* * *

Authors note: Yes, I know that Neji's father had died when he was much younger, to be precise when he was about 4. I had to make an adjustment to suit my story. 

Many thanks.


	2. To become a ninja

Chapter: Two-To become a ninja

A/n: Thoughts in: ' ' / Normal speech in: " "

* * *

There were three classes of 30 students, totalling to 90 students in the academy. In result to the final test of 'Shadow replication', 8 students passed in the first class, 12 passed in the second, with 10 students passing in the third class.

Precisely 30 scholars graduated to genin, and they all sat together in the explanatory meeting, exclusive to graduates solely.

"Yosh, yosh, yosh, yosh, yosh!"

Rock Lee passed from the third class.

"Hn…" 'It's that kid…'

Hyuuga Neji passed from the first.

There was a gust of smoke that appeared at the front of the class, standing there with a sheet in hand was their tutor.

"Hora! Settle down you obnoxious pack of tally-wags, I would like to start this meeting, so if you please."

Standing students took their seats randomly, some scooting off the desks they were sitting on to park on the actual chair.

"First off, congratulations on making it this far, but from here on end, it'll get much harder."

"Yosh!" Lee's eyes burned with determination as he heard the words 'congratulations' and 'harder'.

Neji looked on with a placid expression, his left arm resting on the back rest as his other lay on the desk.

"You will group in a team of three under the care of a jounin teacher; I will announce your teams now, so listen up!"

'Group of three, huh? Then I will do my best to not burden my team-mates!' Lee began to fist the air in front of him.

"Team one…."

The sound of the teachers voice was droned out as Neji recalled the time he had seen that fuzzy-browed kid before.

Flash-back

He had run into a weird girl that had the most unusual hair colour.

"Strange girl…"

Neji, sensing a discomfort he turned to find the source; locking eyes with big, three-eye-lashed ones.

This was the first either had seen of the other, and already both had the feeling that they weren't going to be quite fond of each other. That's if they were to meet again. If you could call a stare-down a meeting.

The boy turned away with tinted cheeks, pretending that nothing had gone out of place.

"Strange…" Thought the young Neji, "There are a lot of weird looking people about, but that one looks about my age this time."

Neji turned away as his father had at last come out from the kimono store. They were going to pay a visit to his younger cousin, his auntie had given birth to another girl and she had just recently turned two.

"So Neji, what do you think of this colour?" His father had asked.

He held out an elegant kimono that was a harmonizing cream. It had soft white doves flying down the collar to adjoin as the obi.

"Hm, yes I'm sure that Hanabi-san will like the doves."

"Is that so?" He laughed softly. "You should have come in with me, I'm sure that your taste would have been useful."

"Hanabi-san wouldn't mind though, she's just two." Concluded the younger Hyuuga.

"Yes, perhaps," Father smiled down to son. "But quality, to a Hyuuga, is everything."

"Yes, father."

Flash-back end

Neji grimaced. That was the last time Neji had spent quality time with his father. After that, his father was constantly called to secret meetings in the Heads household. Neji didn't know what was to happen, but he sensed great danger was to occur.

And he was right.

His father was sold as a sacrifice, being the younger twin of his uncle; he took his elder brother's place.

He was killed.

And for that, he hated the Head family, his cousins included.

"Team seven….. Rock Lee,"

"Yosh!"

"Yoriki Tenten,"

Yoriki Tenten, graduate from the same class as Neji, she used her arm to rest her cheek upon, smiling like her usual days.

"Mm!"

"And Hyuuga Neji."

"Team eight…"

"Aru… Hyuuga?"

Lee searched the class, and for sure his gaze came upon a long-haired boy he had seen from before.

'So I'm with that kid….. Rock Lee, huh….'

"Hyuuga… Neji-'s his name then."

-Flash-back-

Near a fish market store, Lee stopped his fumbling with paper bags when he saw a young girl bump into a long-haired boy. When he had seen her run, the wind complimented her pink hair; big glistening emerald eyes that seemed very rare and, precious.

"Kawaii." Lee had thought.

The long-haired boy offered his hand to the girl, and was now picking her up from the ground. Lee felt a prick of jealousy as he watched on. He saw how her eyes lit up, with a blush that splayed across her petite nose.

His lips pulled to a frown.

Then the girl began to run.

Lee felt the urge to go over there and get to know her. Without thinking he called out for her.

"Wait-!"

"Hey, wait! Will you be okay?" It seemed that young Neji got there first.

Lee was dumb-struck, hopelessly looking out for a cute girl with pink hair and green eyes. Surely with this crowd it wouldn't be much of a hassle, but she was quite the sprinter.

His focus was placed to the boy he had registered was part of Konoha's noble family, the Hyuuga clan. The white eyes a signature of their abilities.

"Hyuuga… I hope to meet with you soon."

Their eyes locked, and he turned away as he heard his tummy rumble, a blush spraying across his cheeks from the sudden outburst of his hunger.

"I better get home to cook this fish then."

-Flash-back end-

'So Hyuuga, I guess we meet again.' His confidence was building, especially since he was put in a team with the year's number one rookie. He was so excited to merely be there, that he had not noticed the boy beforehand. He hardly noticed anyone in the room, forgot there were others other than himself.

'I need to keep my guard up more… Yosh! I will train harder this time, YEAH!'

Hiseyes burned.

"Alright, meeting over, go to your assigned rooms in a half hour as you'll meet your new teachers there. Good luck to you all."

"Hai! Mizuki-sensei!"

-Earlier on-

"Ah, Gai, you have come for a request I see?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama," Bringing up two fingers in the front of his face for a standard respect, he spoke. "I, Masutobi Gai would like the request to have genin Rock Lee in my care, if at all possible. "

"I hear your request, Gai. I can understand why though, he is like a younger you."

"Much gratitude." Gai shone his sparkle smile.

"Er, well, yes… I'll see to it, that he'll be in your group, you are dismissed."

"Yosh!"

With a puff of smoke, the jounin had gone, leaving the Hokage to delve in his Hokage thoughts.

"I wonder how that Hyuuga Neji is holding through…"

-Back to present-

It was time to meet their senseis.

Tenten was leaning against a sycamore table, eyes closed in simple meditation. Neji took a place on the chair of which was connected to where Tenten leant. Lee, on the other hand just couldn't keep still.

"This is great; I'll prove to everyone that I am not a dropout; that I can win through this!"

Neji had his lids closed.

"Che, a drop-out is a drop-out. Nothing will change that."

"Nani?" Lee felt anger rise within him, having his voice come out rugged.

"You heard me."

"Why you-!"

"Lee! Calm down," Tenten sharply cut off. "This is not time for an argument, we meet our sensei in less than 7 minutes, so just hold on 'till then, okay?"

Lee slumbered back, he fixed his angered face to an annoyed one, down to a calm one. "So-sorry."

'Haaaaaahh… not even a proper team and yet these two are already at each others heads.' Sighed a weary Tenten.

"It's nice to see such youth-fullness used to its fullest!"

A deep laughter sheered, as a cloud of smoke began to emerge.

Tenten looked up, even Neji opening his lids to see what was happening, Lee turned in the direction of the smoke.

"You are-!"

-Change scene-

"Where the hell is our sensei!"

A brown-haired girl exclaimed, hands on hips in despair as to why their teacher had not yet arrived.

"Don't ask me…"

"Maybe he got jumped on the way over."

"He's a jounin, why would he get-Ah! Yoshoji, where the hell did you get that potato-chip packet?"

"Ffbbuuggh?"

"Ah, never mind…"

A young boy with chest-nut chicken hair that spike forward covered half of his right eye, he gave it a modest flick as it began to poke his eye.

"It's been 7 minutes since the expected time Kakiri… Give him time."

-2hours later-

"You were saying…?" Kakiri folded her bare arms; a replica of her head outlined in white had the words 'Inner Kakiri' stamped on her forehead, the so head grew as big as the room, holding a big wooden mallet in one hand, several kunai in the other.

Yasaki furrowed his lip upwards in discomfort, his hair-covered eye hiding the ticking eyebrow that flew 70 miles per hour.

"Shut-up…"

-BOOM-

"Ah, yare yare, mina-san, why are you all so early?"

"NANDEHHHHHH?" Exclaimed a hot-headed Kiriki. The 'inner Kiriki' already sticking the kunai uptheir new sensei'sbutt.

"Sensei, you're the one who's late." Pokey-hair calmly retorted in aid to his female team-mates choice of words. Except they were more like a cats nails running down a black board.

"Ah… So it's like that then…?" He received down-poured looks of his new students.

"Yes, -ahem- well watashi wa-!"

-Change scene-

"Gai-sensei!"

"Ha ha ha, yes Lee! It is I! Come my young seedlings," Gai began to march out toward the balcony, "POUR ME YOUR YOUTHFUL GOALS AND DREAMS!"

They came to a cushioned bench that stood atop the open balcony. "Sit, little ducklings, NOW! Who would like to go first into telling me your fortunes?"

"Oh hai, hai, hai!" Tenten waved around her arm high in the air, excited and proud to name her dreams.

"Yosh, Tenten!"

"Okay. My name is-!"

-Change scene-

"Hatake Kakashi, let us go to a more decent place, follow me."

Kakashi took his students to the starting path that lead around Konoha's village. Leaning against the fence, he began,

"In turns you will introduce yourselves with your name, likes, dislikes, dreams and so forth. Simple enough? Good, let's see… the one with the potato-chips, go first."

"Fgmh! Wathashin ra, Akimichi Yoshoji….. What I flike best thare barbeque feasts. What I gon't like, is a person taking the mick out of big-BONED people, and I have a dream to learn the ultimate secret family recipe that momma has kept in-stalled for me..!" His eyes turned into a dreamily goo as his began to drool.

'Yuh-huh…' "Sou, very nice…"

"Er... The female."

"Hai! I'm Hibina kiriki, I like taking the screws off of the chair to watch aniki drop down in surprise, my dream is to be a psychologist ninja, and I detest late-comers." She said the last part evily.

"Em... O-k," Kakashi sweatdropped. "And the last one."

"I am Namutoyo Yasaki, I like doing nothing, I have a dream of becoming whoeverit is Iwant to be, and now I'm bored."

"And what you dislike?"

"Being bored."

'Wow, fun group...' "Okay! Now that that's done, it's time we undergo the survival training."

"Eh? Sensei, what for?" Asked Kiriki.

"The test to see if you can hack being genin, is all. But," He pasued as he straightened up and turned his back to the trio. "There's a twist..."

Yasaki began to get up also, the other two in step. "And that is...?"

Kakashi turned a slight, so that they could just barely see his other eye. "Out of the 30 that passed...

-Change scene-

"Yoriki Tenten, and I want to become like the famous kunoichi, Tsunade-sama!"

"Hm, very good! What about you Neji."

The three looked towards the Hyuuga prodigy. Neji turned away with a deep scowl upon his face.

He quietly replied. "I don't want to say."

Before the tension could deeped, Lee shot up his hand, screaming. "Me, me, choose me!"

"Ha ha, yes Lee."

Lee brought his hands into fists, clenching hard as he spoke. "Even if I can't use ninjustu or genjutsu, I will train everyday and become stronger in taijutsu, gaining the headband as a true ninja!"

Neji snickered.

"YOU! What was that for!" Lee jumped right up, pointing a dainty finger to his 'rival'.

"Like I said earlier," He turned to face him. "A drop-out is a drop-out. Let me tell you this now, Rock Lee. You will never be able to defeat me."

The silence consumed.

Tenten took her hand, and slapped onto her forehead, disapprovingly shaking her head.

"Now, now guys, calm down yeesh, the excitement has not yet started..."

Leeundid his churned teeth, allowing his lips to form a: "Huh?"

"We must proceed with a survival training, and those who pass will become true genins."

'Another test?' Thought Neji.

"However, there were 30 students who passed, correct?"

"Yes..." Answered a doubtful Tenten.

"So if you pass, you pass, but...

"But...?"

Kakashi and Gai say together. "Only three teams can graduate togenin."

-Dum-dum-dum-dum-dum-dum

Tenten. Lee. Neji. Yoshoji. Yasaki. Kiriki. Were shocked.

"Uso!"


	3. To be shocked into silence

Chapter: Three-To be shocked into silence

* * *

Shrivelled oak trees waved their hands, the breeze lifting up their fingers in a synchronized sweep. It was a chilly afternoon. The Head of Konoha village called upon a kunoichi chuunin that had just taken the jounin exam in the Hidden Sand village. 

"Yuuhi Kurenai, With surveillance from the Kazekage, he has informed me of your ability and strength." He interwined his fingers, wisely gazing at the grown woman in front of him.

"Hokage-sama."

Yuuhi Kurenai stood tall at the prime age of 19, in her full chuunin kit she remained standing with her hand to her hip, looking on to believe that she was going to fail once again.

Her wavy, ebony hair was clipped into a pony-tail, leaving her shoulders bare. Scarlet eyes openly nervous.

"Needless to say, he believed you were capable and found your wit beyond that of a chuunin, so in recogniton," He smiled to her, as did many other jounin that faced her, standing side-by their Hokage.

She gulped.

"I now promote you as jounin."

Her eyes widdened in obvious shock, a soft gasp emitting from her.

"Haokage-sama..."

-Change scene-

Sakura walked slowly, her head lowered-bangs covering her eyes from view. She took each step carefully, not wanting the risk of bumping into another Hyuuga, by chance.

The noises from the street lessened when she turned a corner, leading her to Konoha's local park. Though it was local, not many people would go there as it was a secluded area, one of which she heard that a supposed 'deamon' lived about there. The thought wasdiminished as the least of her worries,since she was reminicing aboutthe conversation she had had with her parents.

Sakura came about another turn, stopping in gasp as she saw a human form sitting in her favourite spot. She tried to hide behind the tall lamp-post that held the over-look light in place. Her little fist covering her curved lips.

She looked around-to her left, then to her right, but she saw no one else present. Focusing her curious eyes back to the intruder, she saw that it was a child, a child not far from her age. Golden rays shone on his mat of yolk yello hair. She couldn't see his eyes, as he had his head bowed. His hands clenched on the rope either side of him, him slowly swinging by merely tip-toeing his feet in the dirt back and forth.

"I'm scared..." She murmured. 'He might make fun of me...'

'Sakura, don't be baby!'

She heard herself say.

'It's only one kid. If you can't even show your face to someone not that much older than you, then you shouldn't even be thinking about ninja things!'

She gulped. "Yeah, that's right..."

So by conjuring up her courage, she stepped into the light. Her hand that was holding the lamp-post joined her other clenched fist that lay atop her chest.

Timidly treading forward, she stepped up in front of the young blonde and tried to voice her words.

"Ano..."

The boy, hearing something, perked his ears and looked up from the ground. What he saw brought him out of his clouded daze, his world stopped sppinning.

A young girl, not that much younger than himself stood before him. Both her hands atop her chest, her grassy eyes averted, pink her flowing down to her chin.

"Can I sit beside you?"

He was taken aback, his lips left in a confused: "Aru... Next to me?"

Sakura lifted her hands to her lips, now looking eye-to-eye at the stranger, and what met her gaze were big, sea-blue eyes that were nothing but innocence. She smiled at how sweet he looked.

"If you don't mind..." She trailed off.

Once agian, the boy was dumb-founded, leaning back into the seat, scared that this could be a set-up.

Sakura saw the movement and jolted slightly.

"Go-gomen-nasai," She bowed in time with her words. "It is rude of me to not introudce myself, I- Iam Haruno Sakura, erm...What's your name?" She looked back up to his doubtful eyes.

Sakuratwisted her lips in hurt. "Do you... hate me?"

"What?" The boy said in alarm.

Sakura furrowed her eyes in worry, her lip trembling.

"You think I'm ugly... don't you?"

"W-why would I think that?" The boy was crowded with possible thoughts that this could be a prank. A silly game that the other kids were playing for fun. It was pretty smart though, to have a very beautiful girl come and talk to him was torture, but seeing her look like this erased all doubt from his mind.

"I never should of come further, I'm sorry if you think I'm ugly," Her lids were closed, and she was crying now. "But there's nothing I can do about it, you don't have to look at me as though I'm some deamon!" She screamed the last part, shaking her head in the progress, swiftly turning and running as much as her little legs could take her.

The young blonde clad creased his brow in astonishment, physically staggering back from the impact of her words.

'You don't have to look at me as though I'm some deamon!'

Her words were hurtful.

'Deamon? What does she mean?'

"Ma-MATTE! MY NAME IS UZUMAKI NARUTO, I DON'T THINK YOU'RE A DEAMON!"

He held out his hand, as though he was able to catch her and keep her to him.

He continued to look, but he knew it was hopeless. Slumping back into his earlier form, he dropped his arm in distraught, blinking his bubble-blue eyes.

"Sa...kura-chan, was it? Why would you think... a deamon? But you're so pretty..." He brought his solemn gaze up, searching through the leaves that softly filtered some sun into his view.

"I'm confused..." He leant his head to the rope of the swing, slowly letting his tired lids to close and shield his eyes from whatever pain the world had brought to him.

And he smiled.

"How comes... you don't think that I'm... the deamon?"

He opened his lids once again, surprisingly, he saw the world in another perspective.

"Kami-sama, you sent me an angel that doesn't think I'm a demon... I ask one thing of you, please... don't let her think that she is a demon, because you know that she's not, right? I don't mind if the other kids don't like me no more,"

Realization strung upon him and his eyes widened.

He shot up, waving his hands in front of him as if he was somewhat trying to cancel a spell.

"Yahhhhh! Kami-sama! IGNORE WHAT I PRAYED FOR THIS MORNING! You only take one wish at a time right? I CANCEL, I CANCEL, I CANCEL! Let Sakura-chan be happy, let the other kids and adults to shout words at me, I DON'T CARE!"

He brought his hands to hissides, looking down in despair.

"Kami-sama, don't let them call her a demon..."

Young Uzumaki Narutowalked a few steps forward, the sun fully shining onto him, giving his blonde mop a glossy beam.

"Because it hurts to be called a demon."

He mangaed to sniffle back a sob. "Sakura-chan..." He blinked a few times, thinking back at what just happened. And then,

he grinned.

"Sakura-chan."

He stood tall, well tried to, it seemed that even that little Sakura was taller than him by a milli-metre or so.

He stuck up his thumb in a good-guy pose, ceasing one eye, the other sparkling brightly.

"Yosh! I'll make you my girlfriend!"

* * *

A/n: I'm sorry that it's so short, I was planning on continuing Gai and Kakashi's survival training part, but it's so late, and my head's pounding, so let me off on this one, ne? 

Thanks a bunch for the reviews, they really make my day worth its while :)


	4. What will you decide?

Chapter: Four-What will you decide?

: Yes, this is of course a Saku x Lee, but it involves a lot of the original Naruto characters. It's the next chapter I'm excited about, as there will be quite a lot of Saku x x Lee, hehe. They're young now, so they'll have a later romance.

"Uso!"

"Se-se-se-sensei-!"

"And also, "

The trio gulped in anguish as they awaited his following words.

"Skip breakfast tomorrow, otherwise you won't feel too well." He grinned triumphantly at their sour faces. "We meet at dawn, show up late, I'll fail you immediately."

"How ironic…" Said a dismayed Yasaki.

Yoshoji, who currently hid his potato chips behind his back sat down with a disgruntled "Umpfh." Which then lead to his poor chips being crushed.

"OH MYGOD! MY PO-TA-TO CHI-PS!"

"Haaahh? What were you doing hiding them behind your back then!" Kiriki battered her arm about in the air to emphasize her words.

Yoshoji now sat in a pool of his own tears, grimacing in his loss.

"Kakashi-sensei was so scary; I thought he'd take my special chips away-ha-ha-haaay!" He sobbed.

"Teke… Yoshoji! You're so hopeless. But you're right, that guy's kinda freaky..." She said, crouching her back and waggling her fingers to imitate a monstrous pose.

Yasaki ignored the two and looked onto to where their sensei just left. "What does he mean by 'you won't feel too well'? What the hell is he going do?"

-Change scene-

"Uso!"

"That's so unfair!" Tenten clasped her hands together.

Neji clicked his tongue to the roof of his mouth. "Hm. That just means it's a competition, but who say's it's a harder one?"

"Precisely Neji, THAT is what I want you three to prove tomorrow, wake up NICE AND EARLY; the youth is at its best when in the mornings ga-LORY!" He then did his oh-so-famous 'my teeth are white' shine, complete with the good-guy thumb.

Tenten connected her hand to her hip, sighing exasperatedly. 'You just want to do that smile of yours and get a better shine… That's our test isn't it? YOU'RE GOING TO BLIND US WITH YOUR GA-NORMOUS TEETH!'

Outside she remained her calm self.

Lee looked up to his sensei, who was presently still in his pose. He looked him up and down, and began to smile.

"Yes Gai-sensei! I will wake up early and meet you there with my new team! I WILL SHOW YOU MY YOUTHFUL WAYS, GAI-SENSEI!" And struck a similar pose.

"YES, that's what I want to hear. O-K meeting adjourned for now. It was nice meeting you all."

"Mm, you too sensei." Smiled Tenten.

Neji lead the way out, he folded his arms and gave a slight tip of his head as a goodbye. Tenten who followed suit, then Lee who wasn't far behind stopped at the centre of where the open balcony met the building, they then broke off, making their separate ways to ready themselves for the training they were to take.

Gai turned his attention to the blazing sun. 'Yes it was nice meeting you all… especially you, Lee.'

-Change scene-

Kakashi walked through the market; he was on his way to the jounin lair to give his report in about his new team. He strolled calmly; bringing his hand forth he brushed back annoying strands of cloudy grey hair.

'I wonder if these guys will pass…' He thought, without much concern.

Whilst passing through, he caught sight of a dark green attire that he easily recognized. He stopped in front of the bean shop and turned to open the over-head flap. The bell chimes rang a tune, indicating the entrance of another customer.

The owner looked up and greeted Kakashi warmly.

"Hello, what would you like today?"

Kakashi smiled gratefully back. "I'll just have a cup of sake, please."

The man went to carry on his order.

Gai glanced up at the recognition of a familiar voice. "Oh, Kakashi? What brings you?"

The masked jounin plopped himself down onto the cushioned seats across from where his jump-suit companion was seated.

"Was on my way to give my report..." He trailed off.

"Hurh? I just came back from mine. Looks like I beat you, Kakashi."

Gai closed one eye, bringing his sake to his lips; the other mockingly kept a gaze on its rival.

Kakashi continued to look at the busy street from outside. "Mmm, you sure did…"

Gai was about to take a sip when his eyebrow twitched from the comment. "Now when you put it like that, it makes me feel like I didn't accomplish anything."

The bobbed man sighed and sulkily gulped down his drink.

"Here you go sir." Kakashi's sake was brought to the table.

"Thank-you." He paid his fair.

Gai brought down his cup; he could see that Kakashi wasn't bothered much right now. Even his depressed comments didn't seem 'hip' and 'cool'.

He tried to lighten him up. "So, Kakashi, how are your three?"

Kakashi finally looked at him. "Maa…ne. I don't think they'll make it."

"Hooohh? Where's the faith? You're saying that on first impressions, huh? They must be a shady bunch." He lifted another cup of sake to his lips, and then shoved a squid tentacle into his mouth.

"Well, not really."

"Then tell me what you got." Another tentacle plundered down his mouth.

"Where to start... I have an Akimichi in my group."

"Ahhhh, their food is their ability, nothing much wrong there?" Plop. Another squiggly leg.

"Sou, that's what I thought, but he seems too food-wise to be ninja-wise. Not one to scorn but, put a platter of food in front of him, along with the other two tied above a pool of sharks and he'll save his friends from danger."

"And what's the problem there?" Tentacle stuck in between the legs of the chopstick.

"The only reason he saved the other two, were because he ate the sharks. But he still didn't untie them, but left them hanging while he went to finish his platter of food."

Gai choked on the loose tentacle that he just placed into his mouth. "HA HA HA HA! Oi KakaSHI!" He wiped a tear. "Don't make me laugh while I'm eating!"

An eyeball rolled over to where Kakashi sat, the force of Gai's outburst shook the table and jutted the eye out of its socket and happily rolled freely around.

Gai began banging his chest as he downed his sake to clear his throat. "Hoioioi… what an imagination you have there…. You make it sound as if that already happened."

"Could do…" Kakashi gingerly looked at the eye that happened to stop directly in front of him.

"Now look what happened? Could you pass that eye please?"

Kakashi looked sickened. Carefully, he took it by his fingertips and dropped it like a crane over to Gai's plate.

"How can you eat something like that?"

"Because it tastes good! Want some?"

The fuzzy-brow jounin took a heap of legs and shoved them in Kakashi's cloth-covered face.

"Please…. No."

Gai shrugged and stuffed them down.

"So how about those other two on the rope, they any better?"

"Worse… I have a crazed female who I know wants to kill me in my sleep, and a guy who's too into his looks."

"Your lateness already gets to her eh? Ha ha. Too into his looks? Is he gay?"

"That wouldn't be a problem if he was, but the problem is he isn't, and yet he thinks himself too… special?"

"Ha ha ha… And this is what, your third group?"

"Yeah."

"Yikes."

"Anyway, how's your kids? Heard you got that Rock Lee in your group."

"Indeed I have," He grinned. "And a bonus, Hyuuga Neji."

"Hyuuga? …Interesting. Sure you can handle it?"

"Ohh Kakashi," Gai shook his head, his bobbed-fringe swaying in movement. "I am not Matsubi Gai for nothing, you know." Shine. Gleam, gleam.

Kakashi sweat-dropped.

"Of course…"

"I have a heartily-dedicated female as well, one who knows of the legendary Tsunade, her role-model."

"Souka… Seems you have it well."

"Yes, they're a lively bunch. Seems like Lee found his rival, too."

"That Hyuuga, huh."

"Yeah.

"It'd be nice to see a drop-out beat a prodigy… "

Gai looked into the surface of his sake, meeting him, the image of himself.

"Yeah…"

"Well, I gotta make this report, huh? This was nice, care to join me on my way, Gai?" Kakashi pushed himself up and made his way out.

"Okay," Gai began to rise but paused when he glanced at where Kakashi sat.

"Kakashi,"

"Hm?"

"You never had your sake."

Kakashi looked back, lifting a fingerless-gloved hand to the back of his neck, nervously chuckling.

"Oohhh hora, so I didn't?"

"Hah, Kakashi, am I ever going to see your face?"

Kakashi picked up his sake bottle and placed it within his shuriken pouch.

"Nope." And walked out.

Gai smiled, and then went after him. 'You never lose your 'hippie-coolness' eh, Kak-shi…'

-Elsewhere-

'Hyuuga Neji's in my team now. He's the number one rookie of this year. If I beat him it would prove that a drop-out can beat a prodigy. Whatever a prodigy is… Yosh! I'll do my best!'

"Hah! 115, hah! 116, hah! 117, hah! 118 hah!"

Lee continued side-kicking the practise log that stood at the training ground he visited a lot. He had just jump-roped 1, 567 times, 67 more and then he would've made it, except he tripped and banged his forehead against the log.

The red mark atop his forehead stung as sweat dripped onto it. His brows were furrowed, trying to shield the sweat from going into his eyes, as he didn't want to risk anything distracting his current 234 combo.

"Hah! Hah! Hah! 238, 239, 240! Hah!"

"Kuso." He cursed as his one eye closed. The sweat managed to come down to his eye, forcing him to blink it away.

'I can't stop now, this isn't near far enough! Just kick, kick, and kick!'

With a dynamic roar, Lee regained speed in his kicks, the rotting green bark of the wood cracking off, so that fresh bark came in view.

"Haaaaaaaaaarrrghhh!"

'Yes! Kick, kick, kick, kick!'

"Don't switch legs… keep… going… 298, 299, 300!"

In time, the sky began to orange, letting Lee know of the sun's soon disappearance.

'Shikashou… If I don't get some rest soon, I'll be tired out for tomorrow. I can't fail tomorrow. I won't, I won't, I won't!'

He slowed down. "1, 876, 1, 877, 1, 87…8."

He fell onto the log banging his already sore head once again. "Ita…" He turned to lean his back more comfortably on the log, lowering his head he took a sharp intake of breath.

Lifting his head to scream, "YATTA!"

He let his head drop again as he grinned widely, oh-so happy, happy, happy. Loudly he stated out, "1, 878 side-kicks SUCCESS!"

And with that, he pushed himself up off the log, clutching his aching arm from punching, to run all the way home.

"YATTAAAHH!"

Not all that quietly, though…

-Somewhere close-

"Aru…" A peachy-haired woman turned around as she heard a distance voice.

She thought she heard someone cheer. "Wow, someone must be happy." Smiling, she turned back around as she heard little taps of feet against the wooden floor.

"Oh, Sakura-chan? Why are up at this time?"

Little Sakura stood in between the open shoji doors, her arms raised so that they could rub the sleep out of her eyes, yet not quite following.

"Mother? Why are you outside?"

"Mmmm, because It's time for the little flowers to feed, princess. Just how you should be back in bed, sleeping."

Young Sakura continued to look at her mother, glancing a little at the cosmos on the other side. Her gaze unconsciously going over to the hidden moon, like how she watched it before, at that time.

"Sakura, would you like me to walk you back to your room?"

She nodded, her lids slowly closing.

Her mother stood from the ground, from which she watered the plants. She tottered over, lifting her kimono as she slid off her sandals and ascended up the stairs, holding little Sakura by her lithe hands.

Sakura's mind wandered elsewhere as her mother lead her up to her room.

'There's one month left…' She thought.

"Mama, there's one month left."

She looked down at her, smiling tenderly. "May I take it that you're talking about the ninja academy?"

Sakura nodded meekly.

"And? Have you decided, Sakura?"

"Yes, mama."

-Flash-back-

She was crying. And running.

"MATTE!"

She could hear him, but she ran faster to block out his other words. That's all she heard from him. Just 'wait'.

Wait for what? Probably wanted to pick on her some more.

Her arms in motion with her legs. She tripped and lost her balance slightly, but not giving up, she brought herself up again by catching herself with her right hand, bringing herself back up without faltering her speed.

Her head was bent. Her pink tresses, peachy in the suns glare-flying with the wind; her tears sparkling from the corner of her eyes.

There was no demon there. How ironic that it turned out she was the demon.

"How stupid am I?"

'So much for ninja…'

"Ninja… I'll never be able to become a ninja!"

She slowed her steps as her heart flew out her chest. Bending, she placed her hands to her knees for support.

As she regained her breath, Sakura walked on at normal pace, confident that she'd never see that face again. Well, she hoped not anyway.

With her head held up high, she told herself to 'keep calm, and look normal'.

And whilst looking up, she caught sight of a ninja who was scouting the area. She stopped in her tracks and leant against the wall she was close to. Propping her back to the brick wall, she wound her arms behind her, tilting her head up, her legs pushed: keeping her up straight.

"Huahh…" She sighed wearily, her eyes still not dry from the tears, but they had stopped coming.

The ninja she was looking at was young. She traditionally had the Konoha headband around her forehead, and the most amazing claret eyes she'd ever seen. Her ebony hair was waving in the wind. She was pretty.

The ninja looked around for a bit, and then turned around. This caused a sun ray to hit young Sakura directly in the eyes, causing her to momentarily close them in ache.

When she opened them again, the ninja had gone.

Young Sakura gasped as someone glided from the roof above her, and landed gracefully in front of her, crouching at her level.

"Hello."

Sakura hadn't realized that she was starring, until the woman had spoken.

"Su-suimasen," Backing off from the wall she bowed in respect, her hands together at front.

Kurenai smiled. "Are you lost?"

Sakura looked up, and then starred back down at the ground. "N-no."

"Just gazing then are we?"

She blushed.

"Suimasen."

The black-haired jounin just ignored her apology once more, getting up, she leant her back to the wall crossing her arms in progress.

"You look to be 7… Were you thinking about the ninja academy, is that why you were looking at me?"

Sakura looked up at the kunoichi and timidly leant back against the wall as well.

"Mm… yes."

She breathed out a 'hmm'.

"So are you joining or not?"

"I… don't know yet."

"I see." She paused.

"Would it help if I told you why I joined the academy?"

Little Sakura couldn't believe her ears. To hear a real ninja's reason would help so much. And it being a kunoichi was an extra good bonus.

"Yes, please!" Remembering her manners she added. "If you don't mind…"

Kurenai had to smile.

"Well……….…I did it for my mother."

She looked away from Sakura as she continued her story.

"When I was young, the village had a hard time coping. There was a battle, and my family was hurting. My father was a ninja, so he was away a lot. My mother wasn't, that's why I wanted to help her. I wanted to help my dad too as best I could, so that the next time a big battle like that ensued, I'd know I could handle it just how my mother could, even if she wasn't a ninja."

She looked down and grinned at the younger girl.

"I wanted to prove that I wasn't just the ordinary girl down the block with weird eyes."

Sakura was amazed. 'Weird eyed…?'

Kurenai looked back at the busy Konoha street.

"But I didn't want to prove to anyone that I was capable; my mother, father, the kids next door. I wanted to prove it to myself."

"To…to yourself?"

"Yeah, because when that battle comes, the one person you're really going to face- is yourself."

"Wo-wow… I never thought of that…" Sakura looked away from the taller woman and down at the ground.

The scarlet-eyed jounin used her back leg to push herself off the wall, slowly walking a few steps in front, then turning her body around slightly to face the strawberry-head girl, placing her hands to her hips she said:

"You know what else?"

Sakura shook her head.

She closed one eye in a wink.

"You should stop apologizing and be more confident; because you're prettier then you let yourself on to be!"

With a flash, she had gone.

"How did-!" 'You know…'

Sakura closed her mouth, and smiled.

"Arigatou!" With that, she went home.

-Flash-back end-

"Then what's it to be?"

They reached Sakura's shojis doors, but they were already opened. They looked in, and there was her father.

"Ahh, so there you two were."

"I just went to see mother, father."

"Yes, she tells me that she has made a decision about the ninja academy."

"Oh?"

Sakura went over to hug her father, and then went under her covers. Her mother and father knelt beside her.

"Would you care to tell us, Sakura-hime?"

Little Sakura looked at her parents that tenderly looked down at her.

"I don't want to join…"

"That's fine, my love." Her father bent down to kiss her forehead lightly.

They were both about to get up when she continued.

"No, I don't want to join… to prove that I can do it. I want to join, to prove to myself, that someone like me can become a ninja."

Sakura's mother looked to her husband; her husband looked to his wife. He took her by the shoulders, and rested his head onto hers.

As Sakura slept knowing that she had made the right decision, she was content to sleep before her parent's gaze, she felt protected. In return, she'll become a ninja, and protect them back.

'Thank-you, Lady weird eyes…'

-The following day-

Yasaki had a grim look on his face, his one eyebrow deeply furrowed in annoyance.

"I… will kill… him…"

"Pfft… didn't get enough beauty sleep, I see?"

Yasaki flicked his head back, trying to block off the razor-sharp glower emitting from the whining Kiriki.

Yoshoji was a whole different story, he was practically asleep.

In another 2 hours, Kakashi had finally come. "Yosh, it's nice to see you all on time."

"Ka-KA-SHI-SENSEI!" Kiriki made a dramatic turn, pointing an accusing finger at her sensei.

"Ooooo, it's seems you're full of energy, Kiriki-kun."

"Energy… EHH-NARR-GEE?"

Kiriki looked ready to kill someone.

"It's precisely 12.40 right now," He placed a timer on a log that stood up-right. "You have an hour before the bell will go, in that time you will try and get these from me, so you're really going to need all that intent to kill. I'm glad."

Kakashi held up two silver bells that hung on separate threads of red string.

"Whoever can't get a bell in that time, will be tied to those logs over there." He indicated with the nod of his head.

All three traced where he nodded at, and certainly there were three logs present.

"That unfortunate person, who's tied up, will fail."

"NANI!"

"But sensei, there are only two bells… You don't mean!" Yasaki widened his eyes, now fully awake with all thoughts of sleep erased from his mind.

"It's exactly what you're thinking. That means only two people can pass this test. One of you three will fail. But there's still the chance that all three of you will fail."

"No way!" Yoshoji shot up, his empty stomach now upset with the mixture of no food and uneasiness.

"Yes way. Those who I don't think need to be tied will eat lunch. If I think you all need to be tied I'll eat lunch in front of you."

'So that's why you said… don't eat lunch…' Kiriki sighed.

'He really is a sadistic bastard…'

"Are you ready?" Kakashi pocketed his one hand, as the other hooked the bells onto his side pant. "Go!"

The three separated o hide.

'No bad. ...for now.'

-Change scene-

Young Lee pushed off the infuriating log that almost crushed his lower rib. "Sensei! Do you really mean it?"

Tenten was breathing hard; she was sitting on the grass, her clothing stained with dirt and sweat.

Neji didn't look as bad, but he was also sweating, his soiled headband irritating his skin.

"My little ducks, hear the news well. You have PASSED THE TEST! AHA HA HA HA!"

Tenten hitched her heavy breathing to a normal pace, her eyes sparkling as she managed to pass the rough survival test.

"Yagatah…" Closing her eyes, she smiled softly.

Neji continued to look at his sensei. 'I passed…' He plopped to the ground, not far from Tenten. 'That's my sensei from now on… I can't believe my luck.'

Young Lee took the news a little more… enthusiastically?

"I… I did it." He looked up at Gai.

"You sure did, Lee. And I'm proud that you all did."

"I…I…" Lee scrunched up his eyes, shimmering tears glazing them. "I…"

"Lee?" Gai looked worried.

Lee was shaking. His arms were raised, his fists: clenching like a heart beating.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE I DID IT! YATAH! YATAAHH!"

Gai made a "Hurgh?" sound.

Then he laughed. "GAH HA HA HA! YES, of course you did! You worked hard, it was expected."

Lee brought down his raised arms. Eyes still screwed shut he bowed his head allowing his happy tears to stream down his face.

"Gai-sensei…!"

"Lee…" Gai brought his hand, and placed it with a sure 'thump' atop Lee's slicked back hair.

"Congratulations, Lee. Work harder, so that you grow stronger. Understood?"

Holding in his sob, he cried. "Yes, sir!"

The bind that held these two grew tighter.

It will become a secure rope of friendship, shared with teacher and student. In time, they will walk that rope, because, their friendship had yet to evolve.

-Change scene-

"How pathetic."

"Pathetic? I'll show you pathetic!"

"No need, I can already see it."

Kakashi stood with his arms folded, his statement shutting Kiriki up, which also made her stop wriggling from the rope binds.

Kiriki gritted her teeth, and then stubbornly turned her head away with a "Humph!"

"Yoshoji… quit your whining, you sound like a drenched dog."

"Yasaki! Shut your crap hole! What makes you think you're any better than us!"

"Err… 'Cause I'm not tied to a log?"

That shut her up. Again.

She cursed her stupidity.

"Sen-sei! Why isn't Yasaki-baka tied with us? He didn't get the bell either! I was the one who got the stupid bell!"

"Sou, that's true, I wasn't expecting the outcome to be like this either…" Kakashi cupped his chin in consideration

"Gee… thanks."

"Even though, Kiriki, what you lacked was teamwork. If I didn't tie you to that log, you'd be blindly charging me like the stupid kid that you are."

"Nande?" She chocked on his words.

"You know its right. You're intent is strong, which makes you blind, which makes you stupid."

"NANDE?"

"Shut up! Stop it already, aren't you hearing what I'm telling you?"

She was drawn back to what he said, shock and confusion apparent on her face.

"You got the bell, yes, but you acted on your own. I took the bell away from you and at the same time, clearly showed you that Yoshoji was tied at the tree, deliberately stepping in front of him. I was indicating that you go help him, even proposed that you untie him by asking you if you would, but no!"

He scowled deeply at the lone girl, his one eye enough to scare her with the way he was glaring at her.

"You didn't even glance at him, you charged blindly at me; because I took away the bell you had just retrieved."

He turned his heavy gaze towards the Akimichi tied on the log. "You! Trying to cheat your way by going straight to the food, not even thinking in what way it'd affect your team-mates, selfishly going on with your own choice. "

The said Akimichi bowed his head, disgraced.

"And you." Kakashi looked to the boy who sat too calmly on the ground. Yasaki stiffened.

"Not assisting your team-mates in any way, going about like this is a summer camp, such foolishness could get you killed."

Yasaki gulped, trying to look anywhere but locked with his sensei's hateful gaze.

"Don't you understand the reason why you're in a three-man team? I give you two bells when there are only three people, that only means one thing, and that is to sacrifice for your team-mates, and for the mission."

He stopped his heated glaring and straightened up. "Ma… Now that you know, I might as well give you another chance."

Yasaki didn't entirely believe what Kakashi was saying.

"You will come after me as a team, looking out for the other." Kakashi threw a bento box in front of Yasaki. "Eat. If you feed either one of them, I'll fail you all immediately, understood?" And he was gone.

'Now where have I heard that before…?' Yasaki gulped once again.

'Haaaaaaaaaaaahhh, he really IS a sadistic bastard, horahh!'

Yasaki wearily picked up the wrapped bento box, unwrapping the covering and letting the sensuous smell loft up to his nose and down to his wanting belly.

He snapped open the prepared chopsticks tucked neatly on the side, and fixed them comfortably in between his skilled fingers.

Four shrivelled eyes could be felt inching up and down his turned back. Looking over his shoulder, he spat. "Do you mind? I can't eat if you two are looking at me like I'm your prey or something."

"Horaah, you bastard! You think this is easy for us? Yoshoji is practically dying here!"

Yoshoji just went along with what Kiriki said, her words a blur as his eyes just set on the plump rice and shrimp fish.

"Like it's my problem," He took a bite, relishing its fullness. "Besides, you're going to have to save up your energy for when we fight together."

"Hm, whatever shit-head, just as long as you don't get in my way." Kiriki scorned, she never liked that 'my hair is so flick-able' guy in the first place.

'Like I'll ever work with him…'

"Yasaki, please give me some!" Yoshoji groaned. Even Kiriki beside him started to look appealing, which disgusted him.

"No way. This is mine, you heard what Kakashi said. Would you rather fail?"

"I don't care anymore! You're being a bastard, Yasaki!"

"No I'm not! I won't allow a fat-shit like you to take away my privilege of graduating to genin!"

Twitch.

"Yasaki! What are you saying-!"

"YASAKI!" Kiriki was cut off as the taboo words 'fat' hit Yashoji's ears like that of a punch.

"YOU GUYS!"

Yoshoji's rounded eyes shrunk to their normal size, as he concentrated on his sensei.

The shaken Yasaki had his arm held up in a defence, as Kiriki just had her mouth opened like a gawping fish out of water.

"What's going on here!"

"Ya-Yasaki won't give me any food, AND HE CALLED ME FAT WHEN ACTUALLY, I'M JUST BIG-BONED!"

"Shu-shut up! You're just being selfish! You really want us to fail, don't you?"

"No."

All three heads turned to look at the one who spoke. Yasaki had gotten up to try and better his height, not wanting to be looked down upon.

What met them caused Yasaki to freeze in his spot. Kiriki still couldn't manage to close her mouth, a bead of sweat rolling past her nose. Yoshoji wanted so badly to look away, but he just couldn't seem to move. He was scared shitless.

Kakashi's eyes held a heavy feeling of hate, anguish and disgust, and he aimed it all directly on the three. They could feel what his eyes told them.

"You three disgust me. How could I think that bone-headed kids like you would actually pass to be genin, when they're just thick-skulled morons who know nothing of the life of a ninja? Such pathetic scum's like your selves don't even deserve to know why I'm failing you now."

'What!' They all chorused in their minds.

Kakashi turned, and began walking away.

"Out of them all, you three were the worst."

Yasaki had to know why. "Wh-"

"People who don't look after their friends are scum's who I have no time for."

Kiriki gasped slightly. "I see…"

"Too bad your other friends don't see it clearly. You're not ready to be ninja yet. And when you come back to try again, hopefully for your own sakes you'll get a different teacher, so that perhaps he might actually pass you based on your strength, and see pass your cold judgments."

Yasaki pushed up his bottom lip, his head fully limp and pounding with the excess blood that rushed there.

"Fair well, team 5. I don't hope to see you any time soon."

It had been 7 minutes after Kakashi left. No one had dared to move. Yasaki ruggedly went to pick up the fallen bento box, bending down to carefully bring it within his hold. Taking short, small steps he stopped in front of Yoshoji. His fringe cast a shadow over his eyes, bowing his head, making sure no one could see his face.

Yoshoji looked down at the bneto box that Yasaki held out to him.

"You wanted some right?"

Slowly, he looked up from under his heavy coverage of hair, and smiled resignedly. He placed the bento box down in front of him, took a kunai out of his leg pouch and slashed free the ropes that bonded both Kiriki and his male companion.

"Yasaki…" Kiriki held a sore wrist in one hand, rubbing back the circulation of blood.

"Thank-you, Yasaki."

"Yeah…"

"When I said fat before… I went big-boned you know…"

Yoshoji blinked a couple of times, before breaking out into a smile.

And they all laughed, softly at first, then loudly; letting out all their distress and bad-luck of having Kakashi as their sensei. Though they couldn't help think that he had some good-luck in him, somewhere.

From a distant, Kakashi leant against a tall Coot tree. His eye was curved in a smile as he laughed quietly along with the others he left not so long ago.

"Guess they're not so bad… But I'm glad I failed them. They'll get stronger, this way. I hope." Within a blink, Kakashi, was gone.

Thanks for reading.


	5. Have strength, keep the faith

Chapter: Five: Have the strength, keep the faith.

SapphireWhiteTigress  
Animelover5.6  
rockLeelover  
Sambers

Thank-you… SO MUCH! xD

A/n: Thoughts in: ' ' / Usual speech in: " "

-One month later-

"Ah, Sakura-chan! Why is it I always see you in this state eh?" Laughing tenderly, she continued. "Go and wash your face first, ne?

"But mother…" A worn-out Sakura rubbed at her chubby cheeks. "I'm still slee-HUUHHhh-py…" She yawned in between.

"Really now? Well, I guess it's ok if you take a day off the academy… I've been meaning to fix that persisting clog in the bathroom… so you can help me, ne Sakura-chan?" The hazel-eyed woman turned with a wide smile to her daughter, only to find her fully dressed and ready for school.

"Ehh! Sakura-chan!"

"I'm going mother!" Little Sakura zoomed past with a definite 'swoosh'.

"Heeehh? I thought you didn't want to go!" She called out to the running form of her young.

"With a choice of clogging out poo and studying with books, I wouldn't want to stay!" She shouted back over her shoulder.

"Huh?" She blinked in surprise, and then suddenly burst with laughter. "Do your best, Sakura-chan!" She waved her goodbye.

The said cherry-head smiled in response. "Haiii!"

"Why didn't I want to go in the first place..?" Young Sakura questioned herself. "I love my lessons…"

Her sudden smile turned disagreeable as she realized her answer.

She slowed her pace, the effect of her realization coming down as a burden on her small shoulders.

"O-oh yeah… It's because of… them…"

'Baka.'

-Flashback-

Sakura fidgeted nervously. Trying to remain in cool composure in midst of other children she'll be competing with, along with the presence of the Hokage and geniuses that were born in a clan, wasn't very easy to do.

She could feel the sun right above her, and it seemed that it was directing all its rays solely on her.

'Even the sun's mocking me…' She thought dejectedly.

At the hearing of the Hokage's voice, her head sprung up, a sour expression upon her face.

"Welcome to the Academy Entrance Ceremony, congratulations to those who begin their training today. May you work your best and become magnificent ninja's of your prime."

It was efficient that a relative of a trainee would be present as a representative for the younger. Sakura glanced back to see her father beaming at her, his encouragement shining off from his mushy pea green eyes.

She smiled meekly back. Even with such a face, she still couldn't stop the tickle in her tummy to rise.

'No,' she thought to herself. 'Don't you have to prove this to someone?'

"Someone…?"

'Yourself! Baka yarou!'

She surprised herself. Lifting her head back to face the Hokage, she smiled.

'Mm, I have to prove it… so that I can show everyone… so that I can… so that…'

She bowed her head in defeat, her bangs playing at either side.

'Demo… I'm not as confident!'

'…Idiot…'

-Change scene-

Recess had finally come. The first lesson was basic learning rules of the academy and rights of a ninja. The next was what she was excited about.

"Literature…." She trailed off with a bashful hint of a smile.

Young Sakura remained in her seat, not sure where she should actually go for recess. Looking around, she let her surroundings sink in, and there she caught sight of a few girls that were heading outside.

'O-K! Let's go see what they're doing, I like ball, you saw that ball right? Come on!'

"Maybe I should just stay here-"

'Why? Proving yourself you can become a ninja-rule one! COMMUNICATE!'

She winced at her thoughts. Contemplating on it, she stood up carefully and kept her eyes to the floor.

"Ok, maybe it'll be ok." 'Great!'

Making her way outside, she took a turn that lead her to the academy's back playground. It was a simple day, the clouds playing their own ball with the sun. A girl kicked the patched ball she saw earlier, into the dusty arena. Other kids ran after it, but the ones who held the ball before just watched.

"Everyone here looks so confident…"

She lowered her head as she thought about how she stood out from the others.

It was one of the many mistakes she cursed herself to sleep with.

As she had a collision with one of the ball players. It caused a heap on the ground of academic students, her including.

"OW! What in the world-!"

"GET your foot away from my fac-AHK!" The poor boy had a sandaled foot shoved in his mouth.

A dark-haired girl stood up, eyes clouded with dirt. "Who the hell pushed me?" She looked around and found the source of coughing sounds.

Bending down, she looked through the puffs of smoke, and after it cleared off she raised a brow in confusion.

"Nande? It's just that weird girl that sits next to Sani-chan."

Sakura gasped, she was currently on the ground when she was knocked down from that girl who hovered above her.

'W-who pushed you…? More like YOU PUSHED ME!'

"Suimasen." Sakura mumbled getting up doubtfully, clutching the arm she fell on.

Others began to crowd around her, looking to see if there'd be trouble.

"Suimasen?" The girl straightened up and crossed her arms. "Hora, hora, don't try and get yourself out of this one by acting all 'innocent' and 'cute'."

Sakura widened her perplexed coral spheres, and took a cautious step back.

"You ugly trash, you could of killed me!"

'Killed you…? KILLED YOU? I WISH I DID!'

"Suimasen! I didn't… I didn't mean to!"

"There you go again with your 'suimasen', you can't fool me. Just look at you! What IS that?"

A young boy stepped up and took a closer peep at the young girl with withered pink hair. He raised a chubby finger and it made its way towards little Sakura's head.

Practically scared, Sakura screwed closed her eyes and slightly bent her head down. Her body hardening, expecting some sort of attack.

But all she felt was a light tap on her hair-covered forehead. Opening her eyes a little, she saw everyone had quietened; all eyes spot-lighted onto her.

"Now that you think about it… your forehead is really wide."

The surrounding young blinked their eyes and emitted quiet "Huh's?"

The brunette stepped up with a smug expression stretching across her face. "SEE! I told you she wasn't normal, she's a forehead girl!"

The sea of heads began to nod, signifying their agreement.

"Yeah."

"That's true…"

"I can see it now."

Was what went around the circle of broods.

Lifting both clenched fists to try and cover her quivering lips, she could begin to see the confused faces around her rupture into humongous smirks.

"Forehead girl, what are you doing here? You're not welcomed, understand? Now leave!" She didn't want to be afraid of those dark eyes, the first to mock her on her new day at the academy; she wanted to make a stand, though what she heard next caused her to sprint for her life, out of the academy and to wherever fate wanted to bring her.

The chanting of her new name:

"Forehead-girl! Forehead-girl! Forehead-girl!"

She left behind the bursting of laughter, and the last of her dignity.

-Flash back end-

Young Sakura stood behind the Caphor tree that grew not too far away from the Academy's entrance. The opening was buzzing with the likes of children, and a certain brown-head caught her eye.

Wincing back, she tried to conceal her form in the tree's shadow, and the plank swing that was attached to it.

Confident that she had completely disappeared into the Academy and to her class, Sakura revealed herself and made way to her own class, unaware that a pair of clear crystal-blue eyes followed her movement, glistening blonde hair waltzing with the wind.

-Change scene-

"This is a bother…"

"I know what you mean… how can he be so excited with a D-rank mission?" If Tenten was so bothered right now, she'd kill him.

'But…. That wouldn't be nice, ne… I don't have enough heart to do as such, especially in my state… TO KILL HIM PROPERLY!'

"Lee! Please quiet down." She begged wearily, hoping in time she could put her thoughts into action.

"Ha ha ha, Tenten. You cannot tell a cat who is scared of water, to jump into a lake when it was already planning to."

Neji flinched.

Tenten spluttered slightly. "That… doesn't make sense." Her pupils unconsciously narrowed to slits.

"CHE, GAI SEN-SEI! It's my first mission, mission, MISSION! I will work, and show you what my hard work has done!"

Young Lee fisted the air, doing random flips and round kicks that sent dust weaving the air.

"Oo, LEE! That's excellent, very nicely done!"

"Watch this!"

"Oo, nice!"

"And this, Gai sensei!"

"Woo-OAH! Your movements are stA-RI-KING!"

"HONTO! Then what about this!"

"WOW!"

"And also- huuurrrraaaghh!"

"MAG-NI-FI-CENT!"

"Lee… GIVE ME THAT SKIPPING ROPE RIGHT NOW!" Tenten just awoke the burning life within her, and if she JUST had ENOUGH weapons, maybe she'd get personal mission:' kill Lee effectively' done without much blood shed.

"Sen-sei! We have a mission. A MISSION! We aren't past the konoha gates yet…. And you're praising him for skipping. FOR SKIPPING!"

"Tenten."

She stopped her fiery scolding abruptly, at the sound of her name being calmly called out.

Turning, she found a composed ninja standing with folded arms.

"Neji? Aru, what's wrong?"

''What's wrong?' Are you sure it's safe to ask that..?'

"They're a pair of idiots. Don't let them bother you like that. It'll become a burden on my part." The Young Hyuuga began to make his way to the Konoha gates to somewhat commence on their mission.

'Teeeeeekkeeehh! Kami-sama! Why are boys so weird! What did I do? FINE! I'll return the '1,000 ways to kill with a blade' back to obaa-san, just don't blame me when I kill Lee with a saucepan!"

"Neji, don't be so hot-headed."

'Tenten, me, hot-headed?' He couldn't help but swallow a "Che."

The two-bun headed kunoichi followed her male companion wearily, trying hard to block out the sounds of "Gai sen-sei, watch me!" and "Sugoi, Lee!" Out of her booming head.

-Elsewhere-

She was crying again. Hiccupping sobs echoed softly, toning with the gentle breeze. Tears rolled freely down her blood-filled cheeks, while she walked back home.

"Why… Why am I always…." She didn't have the strength to even wipe her regrettable tears away. "The one to… to break. To cry…?"

'Stop feeling sorry for yourself… the sight is upsetting.'

"It doesn't matter! It's just…"

'Stop talking to yourself…'

Sakura froze. Her house was in her view. She needed to do something with herself to stop from being questioned. It was tough, but she still wanted to go on. She needed to. That's the sole reason why she did.

Her sea-side foam eyes momentarily looked down, her mouth seeming to swallow her tongue. Young Sakura brushed her tears away and tried to lessen the puffiness of her eyes.

"Then stop talking back."

'Keh.' Her inner smiled.

"Mother! I'm home!"

"Oh, Sakura? Welcome back-oh."

She jerked back suddenly as little Sakura pounced onto her, burying her head into her damp apron.

"My, my, you miss me huh?"

"Of course!"

It was a smart tactic that helped hide her pained eyes. But it also allowed her to delve in her mother's warmth. She had a stressful day, for sure.

The little cherry-head dodged her mother's arms and made for the stairs.

"Nani? Where are you going, dear?"

"To change mother, I'll help out with the bathroom!"

Her hazel eyes widened, bringing a hand in the air, she waved it around frantically. "Iie, Sakura-chan, I was just kidding you from before, nothing's really wrong."

"It doesn't matter. I'll help with anything."

She was surprised to see a changed Sakura at the foot of the stairs, her green eyes gleaming.

She smiled. "Well thank-you, Sakura-chan. You're very fast aren't you? Just like this morning. Come then, mama'll fix you up some odangos' (dumplings) you like those right?"

"Haah! Hai!"

And they both laughed.

-The next morning-

The brushes bristles raked through strawberry blush-pink hair, when it stopped before it reached the end locks. Sakura looked at herself in the whole-length mirror, and a degraded look ate its way up upon her soft features.

With her free hand, she scooped up her front bands and touched the cool skin it lay on, the waterfall of pink tresses flowing through her fingers.

"What am I?"

'You're Sakura, stupid! What are you saying?'

"I have to go through it again…"

'You'll survive. Chibi-weird eyes.'

She breathed a small 'guh'.

"Weird eyes?"

Bringing her hair-occupied hand down a little, she covered one eye, but still had some tresses tangled in her fingertips.

Smiling bitterly, she said. "Yeah, not only do I have weird eyes, I also have weird hair."

'Keh.'

"Sakura! Come down now!" She heard her mother say.

"Coming!" Raking her front bangs down, she brought in her side bangs closer, so that you could hardly see her face at all.

"Ahh, I get to call you down this time, ne? Hehehe, oh- Sakura, what's with your hair? You can hardly see!"

"Mother, where's father?" She said, trying to avoid that certain subject.

"Oh, erm. He's out early today, some important deals he had to personally tend to."

"Ok. Ja! I'm going now!"

"Demo, Sa-Sakura!"

She had already gone out the door.

"Mou, Sakura… Is she feeling ok?"

She was sighing heavily. 'Aaahhhh aahhh? You're not even there yet you're crying already?'

'I'm not crying.' She thought inwardly.

'Then what..?'

'..Just go away…'

And surprisingly, it did.

-At the end of Academy-

It happened so often that she no longer was surprised. Her hunched back was jittering up and down, little Sakura was shaking terribly. Her knees were lazily placed to just keep her from falling face down, her fists trying to keep her tears from falling. At least today, she wanted to try.

"Konihiwa." She heard a voice say. Somehow, she believed that she knew it from before.

Looking up, her little eyes were confused.

Blue eyes and a flourish of blonde hair.

"Y-you are…"

A/n: Animelover5.6, am so sorry! I know you expected some Sakura x Lee in this chap, but I'm running low on energy. As it is, it's 3:32am and I don't think I can last much longer. I'd rather write a well written Saku x Lee when I'm enthusiastic, then a lousy Saku x Lee because I'm forcing it. Please understand, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter.

Once again, thank you for reviewing. They make my story what it is. :)


	6. Unique

-IMPORTANT NOTE-

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Please read!

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It's been so long since I last updated, and I'M SO SORRY! I know I don't have any real excuse… I can't just say that a dog ate my computer, so I'll just opt with… 'Sorry?'

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I know how annoying it is when people don't updaaaatee… But I just hope that me precious reviewers haven't forgotten me story. This has been my only real success, and it'll break my heart if this fic doesn't find its' way… I hope you all understand.

-BY THE WAY-In case you all don't –completely- forgive me, I added a sequel for this chapter that I wasn't actually going to do in the next chappie. SAKUxLEE-CHAN FLUFFINESS BEWARE! -- YAY!

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-Reviewers reply!-

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Animelover5.6- Thank-you so much for being so so patient. Especially now since it's been so long! As promised, there will be Saku-Lee in this chapter, and thank-you so much for… well, just thank-you! It was an honour simply reading your story, it gave me a motivation to write this story, and I'm really over-the-top-happy that I have your acknowledgement!

Hiss-Yes, I have –finally- put in my paring! I really did want things to take a slow turn; I didn't think anyone would be entirely interested in things like that, but I'm so glad for your review, thank-you so much! I don't mind so much that the review count is quite low, I'm grateful for your opinion, but I'm just really pleased that my story –is- being reviewed, that's surely enough for lil ol' me! Thank-you again!

SapphireWhiteTigress-I know, it's really annoying how I have to write kawaii Sakura-chan getting all picked on, but I figured if I could get her childhood in the anime, and mix it with my own work, that something special might actually happen. Thank-you for the encouragement, I'm so sorry that –this- was as soon as I could update, but I just hope you enjoy it as much! Thank-you!

Sambers-Ne, that makes the two of us. People really go for the looks don't they? I understand very much how Sakura feels. Thank-you for sharing that with me! I'm glad you appreciate how I show their feelings; it makes me want to put more concentration onto how I can make them their individual selves. Thank-you so much!

Skadi Hime-Very glad you like it! It's great you find it interesting, because in this chappie, and future ones, I hope on making their backgrounds fuse into a lovely pink and green SakuxLee marshmallow fluff! Hehe, thank-you so much!

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-Before I go on!-

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PLEASE BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR:

Thoughts in: ' ' /and/ Usual Speech in: " "

Thanks!

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Chapter: Six-Unique

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"Y-you are…"

"Me?" The blonde head took a few casual steps forward, stopping to where the girl sat; lowering until blue crystals were even with opaque green.

"Watashi wa, Yamanaka Ino."

Young Ino smiled brightly, not quite understanding how uncomfortable the young Haruno was. Little Sakura had seen her before, heard her delightful laughter. She was very popular amongst the other girls, so why was she here?

"Ne, what's your name?"

Gulping down a souring feeling, she ignored her racing heart and uttered a silent: "Ha-…Haruno Sakura."

"Hehh? I can't hear you. Speak up!"

"Ha-Haruno Sakura des!" Sakura tried to mask her hiccupping by biting her lower lip, hoping it would somewhat calm her jittering.

Ino swept a few strands of flaxen curls away from eyes, resting her head on her open palm that was held up by her propped elbow placed on her crouched knee.

With a single finger, the young blonde poked the other girl, in the parting of her fringe.

Sakura tensed, too frightened to merely breathe.

"Souuka. So that's why you're called forehead girl…"

She winced.

"It's because your forehead is really wide, ne…?" With a moderate flick, Sakura's head tipped back, causing the girl to momentarily blink in surprise, before fully understanding the situation and cringing once more.

'Just another bully…'

Ino continued to look at the weaker girl, who seemed to be mentally shrinking away.

Sakura's head ran with the ideas of many come-backs and escape routes. The only thing left to do was to actually perform at least one of them.

'Ok, what shall we go with? ….friendly offering like: Please leave me alone, I'm weak! Or a threatening submission like: Touch me again, I'll bite you! Kind of thing?'

'We'll go with friendly.'

'NO WAY! Let's go with the bite! Bite and run, run and bite…? Come on!'

'No. I'll say: Please excuse me, and THEN I'll run ok?'

'No!'

Sakura took a heavy breath. 'Here goes.' "Pl-"

"Come here again tomorrow, 'k?"

"Eh?" Looking up, she realized that that 'Ino' girl wasn't there. Turning her head around, she saw that the young Ino had her back to her, and was walking away.

What surprised her was that she had a hand raised in a 'goodbye' gesture.

"Your name's Sakura, right? Come by at the same time. I have something nice to give you!"

"Something… nice?"

She had gone.

Turning back, she allowed her head to droop. Fresh tears sprung, her heart beating a solemn rhythm.

"…For me?"

-Change scene-

"I'm home!"

"Welcome back dear! Come in the kitchen for now, I've caught myself in some trouble, hurry, before I drop these!"

"Uh… Hai!" Dropping her bag in a cluster, Sakura rushed to her mother and just in time, caught the falling plates that had slipped from her mothers grasp.

"Such brilliance, Sakura-san! That is some impressive reflexes you have there." Climbing down from the counter, the elder Haruno thankfully took the piled plates from Sakura's little hands.

"Thank-you dear."

"It's okay." Sakura studied the elegant swirls of naruto fish-cakes that decorated the plates. It was their best china.

"Mama, why are we using these?"

"Oh about that, your father caught a lovely carp the other day, his finest in quite a while." Her hands began working on the frothing apple stew. "He also finished his garden project for Yamanaka-san,"

"Yamanaka-san?"

"Mm, she lives next to that nice store-keeper down the road, do you know?"

"Yamanaka-san..?"

"Yes Sakura, are you ok? You seem hypnotised," She laughed lightly at her daughter's adorable innocence. "Anyway, we're celebrating, so that's why."

"That's why what?"

"Well that's why we're using these dishes Sakura. He he, you know, to answer for your question. Sakura?"

"Eh-…hai mother?"

"Wow, your mind seems completely occupied today. Did something spontaneous happen at academy today?" She smiled pleasantly.

"Academy?" A flicker of mischievous sea-blue eyes flashed through her mind. 'Ya-yamanaka…' "Oh, aru… Mama, how can you trust someone?"

"Hmm?" Halting thoughtfully, her hazel-eyes skill-fully washed over the younger her. Contemplating her words, she honourably smiled at how open-minded her little treasure was.

Bringing a damp cloth to sweep the top counter, she dusted her hands and lifted Sakura up to place her onto the furnished timber wood.

"Hah! ..Mother?"

"Hmmm…." The peachy-haired Haruno placed a thoughtful finger upon her chin and held little Sakura in place.

"Mother..?" Sakura drawled cautiously, her mothers eyes held a distant look, as if she was thinking back on something special.

The said woman placed her other hand onto the counter, and let her wise gaze drift to the outside world, in clear view from the open window.

"You see, Sakura. Things are usually account by first impressions… How they look and the way they act, from that you see if you like that certain way. So to say, it's hard to place your trust on someone, in just a short amount of time."

-Flash-back-

"W-Who are you!"

"Me? No-one special, just a mere passer-by." That smile was suspicious, but she couldn't help think that she was rather pretty.

"Th…Th-Then keep passing by! Y-You don't need to s-stop here!"

"Heeeehhh? Why are you stuttering like that? Are you cold?"

"Chigau!"

"What then?"

"I-…I-I-I-I'm just… tired!"

"You look fine to me..?"

The younger girl hitched a gasp as the stranger held a faced-down palm atop her flushed forehead.

"What are you-!"

"Your head is slightly flushed… " 'Those fools done it again… really? Can't pick on their on feed, now she's all ill!'

"Eh?" Her tear-glazed orbs wobbled, as the girl in front of her turned around to kneel, out stretching her arms behind her back. They looked welcoming, like a hug her mother would give her when she went back home.

"A-ano…"

"Get on."

"Eh?" Ruffled strands of hair flew in her vision, but she could clearly make-out the pretty lips that slowly widened into a joyous smile.

"'Eh' you say? Hurry up and get on, slow-poke horn-head! I'm getting tired ya' know?"

The girl continued smiling like she would with her pretty friends, if she could say, she was probably smiling more!

"W-Why, I'm fine!"

"I know you're ill so drop it! Stinky horn-head… I'm your friend, ok? Get. On."

The smiling stranger finished off her words with a final comforting smile.

'Th-that smile… I've never seen a smile like that before. It's so… friendly… b-but why..?'

The young girl scrunched up her fists greatly into her lumpy shirt, as her teeth clenched with deep emotion.

The kneeling girl gave a 'huff'. "Mou… you're stubborn, ne? It's expected… Those nasty bullies picking on left-overs below them, instead of those who rival them. Don't be afraid no more, 'kay horn-head?" Again, she showed that beautiful smile of hers.

Gasping greatly, the younger of the two loped her head and scrunched up her body as small as she possibly could, confusing the older girl. With a sudden rumble, the girl behind her jumped and clasped herself onto the one before her, before of course, accidentally thumping her in the stomach with her knee.

"Oof..! Hahaha!" 'Cute!'

If it was possible, her laughter was as beautiful as her smiles.

Slowly rising from the dirtied ground, she began to make her way.

As the light female on her back tightly held her neck in immense possession, she was curious to know. "Hey! What made you change your mind? You trust me already…?"

Opening her tired eyes, the girl shyly spoke. "No, I don't."

"Heh?"

"It's hard to place your trust on someone, in just a short amount of time."

"Then why?"

Thinking deeply, she switched the position of her right leg to try and make the pretty stranger, in a way, more comfortable.

"Though my heart is racing, and my mind is in chaos… it doesn't mean anything bad."

The girl kept silent to let her continue.

"My heart is racing, because it wants to let out… secrets to you…. Special treasures. My mind is going crazy b-because I want to know everything about you, and I have so many questions to ask…"

"…R-Really?" She couldn't help but stutter herself. What bold words for someone so… frail.

"And also… I'm con…fident to tell all these things I'd never tell anyone else. So if I'm ok with just this, even if you don't turn out to be the person I think you to be," 'Or want you to be…' "Then right now it doesn't matter to me…!"

"Su-sugei… but if you feel all those things… then you must at least trust me a little?" A single brow furrowed slightly.

"Not really…"

"Then why doesn't it matter to you right now? What if I'm-"

"Doesn't matter! Because right now," She closed her eyes in smile. "I trust myself! And that's the hardest person you can trust!"

-Flash-back end-

Little Sakura watched her mothers eyes dance in amusement. 'What is mother thinking right now?'

"So, Sakura. Even if your little heart is beating fast, and your mind is in turmoil, it all comes down to-if what you're feeling is something nice."

Verdant eyes widened. She remembered that odd feeling but wasn't sure if it was something that should feel right. Was it in fact that it felt… nice?

"It isn't how you can trust someone; it's firstly, how you trust yourself."

"Yourself?" 'Lady Weird-eyes!'

"If you were to trust yourself, what care in the world would you have if that person wasn't someone you trusted?"

"Y-yeah…"

"Learn your hearts mind and your minds inner heart, and then you will trust your body's actions. From there, I cannot say, because then, it's up. To. You." Peachy lips perked into a smile.

"Hai! Arigatou, Mama!" Sakura wound her little arms around her neck, her mother smiling about the ironic situation. 'Where has that happened before I wonder?' She hugged her little angel back.

The front shoji doors opened efficiently, a recognizable voice drawing in.

"I'm home everyone!"

"Wahh-hahh! FATHER!"

The Haruno female laughed at her daughter's childish outburst. "Welcome home honey!"

She brought little Sakura down, the little cherry-head running off like a trapped fish back in water, but first giving her helpful mother a peck on the forehead.

Smiling on, her heart fluttered with the warming aroma-the memory of the first encounter she had with her best friend fresh in her mind.

-Flash-back-

"Hardest person you can trust? A very honourable speech, horn-head."

"M-mm," They called her that. It was the name that haunted her in the mornings, and the burden she brought back home.

Except when it came from her lips, even if those exact words were insulting, her tone was but the complete opposite.

"Hey! Look it's horn-head! She's over here look!"

"I'm coming!"

"Here, let me see."

"Ano…"

"Ne! Nee-san, why is that ugly horn-head on your back?"

The little girl hunched and wrung herself deeper into the other girls comfort. 'I-it's them…'

The elder of the two fixed on a sturdy glare and cleared her throat.

"What are you talki-"

"She must have jumped on when nee-san wasn't looking!"

"Yeah, yeah! Nee-san, did she hurt you? Let's beat her off of nee-san!"

"Yeah, let's go! Get your filth away from her, horn-head!"

"Stop right there!"

The disgusted rope of venom laced within that usual angelic voice abruptly stopped the three numb-heads, and was enough to scare the little duckling on her back.

'S-such anger…' Thought the girl. 'A-and… just for… me.' She tried hard not to cry.

"Listen here. How dare you speak that way to MY friend and still call me by that title!"

"B-but nee-san, she's… BUT SHE'S-!"

"Call her by her name!"

"But-!" Her throat froze. Just by looking at her former 'nee-san's' face, was like a mirror of seeing hell.

"CALL HER BY HER NAME! I swear. You. Call. Her. By. Her. Name. Or. So. Help. Me. Kami-sama. That. I. Don't . Take. Your. Head. Right. Here. Right. NOW!"

"GAH! SANJI-SAN! SANJI-SAN! SANJIIII-SAN!"

The three before her bowed in repeated sequence, foreheads against the shrill concrete pavement.

"Hm!" Stepping over them, she made sure she 'accidentally' gave all three a good whack on the head.

"Ita..!" They cursed silently.

They could hear the definite taps of her sandals slowly diminishing to a stop. Turning around to see, they quickly ducked with their heads in their arms to the sound of her abrupt voice.

"And also… I'm the only one to call her by horn-head, understood? Spread the word. No-one. Hurts MY friend."

"H-HAI!"

'Che! Losers…. I ain't even a bluddy ninja, yet they're so weak! I laugh at them… Ha!'

As soon as they saw their chance, they ran like hell. The little passenger looked back and in the first time since she could spell, she actually laughed.

Looking back at the laughing younger, a grin came upon her cheery face. "So! Your name is Sanji, ne?"

She choked back on her laugh. "A-ano… You didn't know!"

"Hmmm, nope!"

She gave a defeated "Guh…" She shook it away, a little blush building around her nose.

"Thank-you… for that. No-one has ever called me their… their…-"

"Friend?"

"Y-yeah… not even like that…" She mused on how much she exaggerated on the 'my'. It was sweet.

"Ne… I r-really love your hair… It's such a beautiful colour… like sakura blossoms…"

Turning, the elder girl dazzled her neon hazel-gem eyes, giving the younger girl a clear view of her very rare orbs.

"Honto? To tell the truth, I think you're prettier."

"E-eh?"

Lifting up the little Sanji, she placed her warm cheek upon her silken chocolate hair, as she left a single glassy-green eye to stare into the overwhelmed vast puddles of ocean-blue.

"You have the most amazing eyes that these weird green-slash-hazel-slash-WHAT-colours-are-they-?-eyes of mine have ever seen!"

Quirking a true smile, little Sanji felt her heart jump at the recognition she had been fighting for since for always.

"You know what! Since you said it, when I have my first baby girl, I'll name her Sakura!"

Sanji's face gashed a grin. "Then I'll name mine..! I'll name mine…?"

"HA HA HA HA! Name her, Suki!"

"Suki? KAWAII!"

"Mm! They'll both be 'S' sisters!"

"YEAH! AH HA HA HA!" She stopped as soon as she forgot to ask an important question.

"Hey erm… What's your name?"

"My name? He He… wouldn't you like to know!"

"Yeah, I do!"

"Just call me… brass-feet, HA HA!"

-Flash-back-end-

"Sugoi! Mama, look at the SIZE of papa's FISH!"

"Ahh, didn't I tell you Sakura-san?"

"HAI! You did!"

"He he…"

Sakura's father waltzed over to his wife, and held her in a warm embrace. Her arms now around her darling husband, she mused back on a certain thought.

'Such a shame that stinky horn-head married an impossible husband that so HAPPNED to be a dedicated ninja… one that wanted a boy to live up to his former group… Still… She has her mothers amazing eyes…'

A flicker of mischievous sea-blue eyes flashed through her mind.

'Ino-chan, kah? …I hope my baby meets you soon."

"MAMA, LET'S EAT!"

"Mou, Sakura! We haven't prepared anything yet!"

"Oh? Ha Ha, gomen, I'll help!"

"Yosh! Go get the plunger and start on the loo, ne?"

"NANI!"

"Heh! You said you wanted to help!"

"With the food, the FOOD, mother!"

She laughed at the little grin. "Silly me! Then get the bin and throw away the left over apple peels, okay?"

"MA-MAAAA!"

"HA HA!"

-Following day-

It was the end of academy, and there little Sakura sat, on the edge of the marble fountain, simply waiting. Her bottom lip was pulled in a discomforting frown, as spills of fluid tears lightly tinted the puffiness of her cheeks.

'Hasn't there been a day when you DIDN'T cry?'

There was no reply.

'..Don't worry too much, Inko told you to wait here right? She'll come.'

'H-Her name's Ino…'

'What would you care? You never stay long enough to remember anyone's name, since you keep running off like that!'

"What else can I do..? I have no other choice..."

"Idiot, you know you can always fight…. Do you want me to pep you again? Okay, it's BITE, and THEN run…NOT the other way around!'

"Sh…Shut up."

Dangling pink strands shielded her mind from the outside world, a world where she could make her own friend with herself. Except it didn't seem to be working so well. Her sudden world stopped spinning, when it was intruded with a quirky voice.

"Talking to yourself again, Sakura? You're so weird."

There in front of her, was the form of an amused Yamanaka Ino, dressed in her many 'cool chick' outfits.

In her hand, a blossom red ribbon.

"Demo, I'm really glad you came. I almost thought I'd never see you again since yesterday, but then that's stupid, since I'm in your class!"

Ino flashed a smile.

'She's in your class? …Since when!'

'I don't know…'

"Come here! I need to put this on!"

"H-hai.."

'To prove it to myself, I have to first trust myself! Trust myself… trust myself… I have to tru-'

"You can open your eyes now!"

"Eh?" 'That was quick, what did she do? Lemme see!'

"Heeh, you're so smart Ino-chaan! Look now, Sakura, you really are cute. Score for me!" Ino raised a winner fist, and slammed it on her open palm.

"Ka-chingg!"

"… Eh?"

"Mou…. You really ruined my nice girl pose! Oh Well! Come here, look in the water!" Taking a swift hold of the smaller girl, she pulled her to face the fountains shimmering surface-only to be met by a stranger with a red bow.

'Who's that?'

'Th-that's me!'

"I-Ino-chan… " Her eyes softened and she was aware that her guard was down. "Arigatou… arigatou gozaimas!"

"S'okay! Ne sakura, you're my friend now 'kay? Be confident, 'cause you ARE cute. Don't let them bully you no more. And also,"

"Ino-chan…" Sakura's hands clasped onto the fabric above her heart.

"Be proud of who you are!"

Crystal tears fell on the ground. Its sauntering silent drops, like harmony to the fountains cascading water flow.

Trying desperately to wipe away its wet existence, she gapped put a quiet apology.

"I'm… sorry."

"For what reason?"

Removing her hand away from drying her grassy eyes, she could see that Ino had turned away from her.

"It's okay to cry, if you're happy."

Sakura felt free from the binds that held her trapped and afraid. Like how she saw the sun, she smiled brightly: and with a comic salute, she gracefully thanked her unlucky numbers, that they actually prayed her with something special.

"Hai, Ino-chan! Arigatou gozaimas!"

They gave her friend.

Looking back with her ocean reflected orbs, she commented slyly. "You apologize too much… forehead-girl."

"Hai!"

"And stop saluting! I'm not some army captain!"

"Hai!"

"And stop acting as if I'm giving you orders!"

"Hai!"

"Quit it! You're staring to look stupid!"

"Haaiiii!"

"Sakura-! I mean stinky fore-head girl! Yamete!"

"Hai!"

"Sa.KU.RAAAHH!"

"Ino-chan…"

"Eh?"

'Such an innocent smile… I knew I didn't make a mistake.'

"Arigatou gozaimas!"

Twitch.

'Screw innocent! More like, anNO-YING!"

"Forehead! Humph!"

"He he he!" 'Arigatou… Kami-sama. Mama! …I've found someone I trust… is that ok? ...'

-br-

-br-

Sequel-Unique part 2- Black met green.

-br-

-br-

It had been four days now, since that incident that found her a friend. In that time, they had moved a lot of classes around, which had given the chance for little Sakura to cherish the moments with her best friend.

For females, they were given a special teaching that helped keep the femininity that a growing girl should have. They were interesting classes that were different to the ones that the girls shared with the boys. It kept up their girly spirits, as well as kept their shinobi minds at ease.

One of Sakura's many favourites, along with Ino's favourites, was flower arranging.

It had been the third class of the week, and today was special, since each individual was to make a flower arrangement for someone they considered special.

"I-It's not perfect, b-but I think Ino-chan will really like it."

"Really Sakura! It's beautiful, Ino will love it just fine, ne?"

"Oh…mm-hai, sensei."

"Hm? Sakura dear, where did you get that wound? Are you okay?"

"A-ah, I'm okay, just fell over," She played on a wide grin, one she had practised many times before to try and fool her mother. "Just really clumsy, that's all!"

"Souka. Well, just try and be more careful, alright? Wouldn't want to tire to tire yourself out now."

"Yes, sensei, I'll be more careful… Ja ne!"

"Take care!"

Carefully swinging the weaved basket out of her way, she lifted up a hand and waved a goodbye. Bringing it close in her arms, her stern smile turned up-side down as her 'happy' skipping paced to a slow, uneven walking down the mill-berry road.

There was a gash that came as a ragged hack across her upper shoulder. It was nothing serious to worry about, but it was clotty enough, that it needed quite a careful tending to. Lucky enough that she was wearing a simple T-shirt, so that only the slightest bit of the tip showed itself to her sensei.

Placing a trembling hand to the covered cut, she murmured softly. "Ino-chan wasn't in today… so they… so they... keh!"

Her throat felt sore. What they said was worse then the usual 'fore-head girl' chants that she would receive. After that fart-face brown head learned that Ino had befriended young Sakura, she stayed away for a bit, and at least gave the courtesy to actually leave her alone.

But they had mocked her. Said it was only pity Ino felt for the young cherry-head. That after a while she'll abandon her.

'…That it was a false hope that wouldn't even exist in my dreams… how could they say that? Are they for real?'

'...Stop it, Sakura.'

"Then why-!"

'Yamete! You can't lie to yourself. You know that you don't feel that way about that Ino-pig, and that she doesn't feel that way about you!'

"Lie?" 'That's true…' Cherry lips turned upwards in a sulky smile. 'I hate to lie…'

It wasn't much of a lie that she told her sensei. Yes, she did fall down. Because she was pushed.

'And I was clumsy enough to fall down on a rock and gash my left shoulder….Ino-pig? How did you make up a name like that!'

'What? It suits her.'

'How so?'

'She's as pretty as a pig or course! GA-HA-HA-HA-ARGH-!'

Inner Sakura was clomped.

'ITA!'

'You deserve it!'

'But I'm YOU!'

'La-la-la-I'm-NOT-listening-! Tuning you out now! J-YAAAA NE!'

She laughed half-heartedly. At least at times she could bring a smile up once in a dark while. She ended up in a training felid that she was taking to as a class to practise a few shuriken throws.

It was mid-afternoon and lessons had finished a half-hour early due to an important teacher gathering. She heard something about a naruto being loose.

'Who would care about a naruto being loose? That's just stupid!'

'…Sou.'

-A/n-('Naruto' means fishcake that is added to ramen noodles. She meets our loveable Uzumaki Naruto-kun, but doesn't learn his name, so that's why she's thinking it's a stupid reason to cancel lessons, all because of an apparent 'loose fishcake' when we all know it's that kawaii fox boy, 'kay? Sorry if you already knew that! Just wanted to make sure.)

Placing the basket done onto the patches of green, much like her own, she sat hunched against the training dummy, observing her earlier flower work.

Miniature silver bells dangled their elegant heads over the baskets edge. Daisy chains she prepared herself made their way up in a tornado spin, towards the main flower. Two blinking mary heads bobbed beside the middle stem, and there standing proudly, was a delicate cosmos that she picked from her very own garden.

It was her best work yet, taking her at least, she believed, 4 hours to perfect.

'Mou, I really hope Ino-chan likes this.'

Leaning more into the dented wooden bark, she heard a soft murmuring that couldn't be heard before. From all her innate concentration, her other senses were locked out.

She leant in more comfortably into the dummy stand, and tried to recreate her ninja training.

'Stay calm and understand the situation…. Work out what that sound it,m and you'll be fine.'

'Wouldn't 'you-being-fine' depend on exactly WHAT the sound is? What if it's a volcano?'

'A volcano? In KO-NO-HA?'

'What? Easy mistake…'

Playing with her inner mind, she managed to calm herself and reduce the frantic waves of her chakra.

'Concentrate…'

She could hear it. The words were a blur, but she could make them out. They were… numbers?

'1, 567. 1, 568. 1, 5…? 569.'

Them the noise stopped.

'That's a person's voice! But then why could it be here?'

"Now the other leg…"

"Other leg? N-nande?" She whispered to the cool air.

Sakura was scared. Making a move to get up, she saw the basket with the flowers, and immediately thought of Ino.

Worried pink brows suddenly burrowed down. A confident face on Sakura, she gripped tighter on the grass below that she used to try and bring herself up with.

"No! What would Ino-chan do?"

Sure with her decision, the young Haruno shadowed in the long bark, until finally jumping out to the other side of the dummy post, and coming face to face with…nothing.

That is, until she looked down.

"AARRGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

-In the distant-

A flock of birds flew up.

-And now back again-

"-HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"Eh? Ano… why are you screaming?"

"-HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHhhhhh-ah. Aru? Sou, why AM I screaming?"

Finishing from the occasional dusting, the young Lee turned to see what had made him suddenly scream out like that. It was surely not rather 'Gai-sensei' like! No, not-at-all!

"Heh?"

Big rounded black bubbles met big curled emerald sparkles.

"ARGHHH-Eh?-AHH!"

-BAM-

"Ne, are you okay?"

"Owie!" Poor Lee. He fell on his butt.

Then suddenly, when he thought his body couldn't take any more damage… he heard a sweet sound. It was laughter. Coming from…? This weird little girl.

"You're funny! He he he…" She saw how the older boy had a somewhat funny look in his eyes. Her instinct manners kicking in, she almost chocked from hastily halting with her mirth.

"G-gomen! Ano, I-I better go now…" She glanced back at him when she heard him call out to her.

"Wait up! Erm… Who- ..are you?"

Sakura faced him with an opening smile, completely forgetting the oozing pain from her left shoulder.

"If I recall, to wanting to know a civilians name, you must at first," Cherry curls dangled around her face as she got back up from her bow. "Introduce yourself."

Her smile was real. Perked peachy lips, alike her mothers, dancing in humour.

Young, poor, 'now-has-three-butts-from-fall-down' Lee saw the gentleness in her big green eyes, and smiling lips. His look was first dumb-founded, until he put two and two together and smiled, from deep within his heart.

"You know how to handle your situations well I see. Ha Ha Ha. Hai! I apologize for my rude manners!" He brought down his salute, keeping his body straight and taut. "My name is Rock Lee! Now may I ask in favour, if you could please give me the pleasure of hearing what your name might be, young miss!"

"Huh?" Her smile dropped into a look of confusion.

Was he actually playing along with her? She didn't mean it like this; she was just doing the usual tread of NOT listening to her inner self, who was throwing ridicules and big fat books at her. How does she have books in there? Well the outside Sakura, having that big brain of hers had you thinking that her head WAS just one big ol' book.

Mystery solved?

From the look of utter confusion little Sakura was playing with right now, you think she couldn't care much about that issue right now… ey?

"Excuse me? Young miss? Can I have your name?"

"Em." 'Oh my golly, what do I do now?'

'Hah! This is what happens when you DON'T listen to me! Now just pretend you didn't hear him and run a-WAY!'

'That'll look stupid… I've been starring at him for quite a while now…'

'DON'T CARE! Just DO IT!'

'Yosh!'

"Ah, gomen Lee-san, I am Haruno Sakura, pleasure is all mine." Finishing her courtesy with a friendly bow, inner Sakura tried to find some knives instead…

Lee smiled jovially. She really was a pleasant girl.

Little Sakura looked back up to meet his smile, and that's when she began to realize that hadn't properly overlooked him. Doing so, she managed to make out slight bruises on his both legs that showed from his cotton crops and painful looking burns around his knuckles and on his bare arms.

"Are you okay?"

"Are you okay?"

They chorused.

Little Sakura pointed her finger at his legs, as young Lee had a slightly red finger pointed at her upper shoulder.

"This?"

"This?"

They chorused again.

They both had a palm cupped around their pointed injury, both with an awkward smile on their faces at the expense of unintentionally mimicking one another.

As Lee had cupped one of his legs, it caused him to have to flop down on his aching butt, and sit on the tickling grass from below him.

Little Sakura, without any mind at all, went and joined him so that they were sitting side by side.

"Ne, are you okay?" She tried again. If he was to accidentally ask her the exact question, she would have really needed to get away from there. But at the moment, she knew she had lied to herself because whether or not he asked her, which he didn't, she knew she would have stayed. To put it simply: she actually enjoyed his company.

'NANI? You're starting to lie to YOURSELF now? YOU DON'T LIKE LYIN-AHHK!'

Inner Saku was covered with all the weapons known to ninja-kind.

A free, white-outlined arm twitched with annoyance.

'So that's where you kept them…'

-Swoosh-swoosh-swoosh-!-

-BAM-

A great iron spiked ball innocently fell from the roof of Sakura's brain, and just 'unluckily' aimed directly, as in 'on target' for that unmistakably free arm.

'…Ah, oh-well… I'll get you next time… Must…. Sleep…zzzzzzZZ…for now…zzZ'

"Yeah I'm alright! Gotta keep strong ne!" Lifting up an arm, he fisted his muscle to expand his meaning, only to recoil with an anguished look when he hit an injury instead.

The young cherry-head laughed heartedly, her knees pulled up with her arms wrapped around them.

"You look strong."

A bashful smile crept up his face as he looked away.

"But how did you get such injuries?"

He looked back, and surprised the younger girl with a winning grin.

"I'm glad you asked Sakura-san! I got these marks from training, these bruises here, see those?"

"Mm-hm." She nodded.

"Those are just 45 minutes old, but these ones here, they dulled a bit… I think it was because I fell asleep or something.."

'Hang on a sec…' Inner Sakura shifted a little, causing at least half of her body to resurface. Laying on her front she magically produced a leather spine note-book with pen, and a pair of smashing doctor frames.

She scribbled as she mumbled. '45 minutes… plus the bloody arms…. Date today? Doesn't matter… ermm hmhmf… sun setting… arm numbing…. Did you HAVE to use THIS certain weapon for my arm Saku--raw? Sheeeesssh!'

All in all, she put two and two together.

'Wow… why isn't this guy dead yet? Four hours..?'

-Shooom-shooom-shooom-!-

'ITAII! Okay, okay, I GET IT ALREADY!' Inner Sakura inspected her new weapon armour. 'Hm, not bad… maybe if you could aim that well in real life you wouldn't be such a wuss.'

-Shoom-!-

She just missed a dangerous poke in the eye buy Mr. tough kunai that suck itself right. Next. To. Her. Head!

'Ah, whatever! I'm going bed… Lights please!'

-Shoom-shoom-!-

'OWW! My EYES!'

-Back in the real world-

"Chotto matte, Lee-san, doesn't that mean that you've been training for four hours?"

"Ohh, that's why your eyes are so wide, I though I scared you or something… ano…" A poorly bandaged hand scuffed at his slicked, shiny black hair. "No, not four hours…"

Sakura made a sigh of relief. 'Stupid inner mind going all over the top and-'

"More like 8-"

'NANI?'

"NANI! Lee-san! Aren't you hurting anywhere!"

From that, her bodies actions were lost in conscience, as it merely acted on its' own will, grabbing Lee's arm and intensely studying it.

Young Lee reached boiling point at the feel of smooth soft hands gliding against his blood-rusting aching ones. He felt pain alright. His arm was practically on fire. Wasn't a gentle touch supposed to CALM him? How the hell could she make his body all jumpy and his heart all thumpy, by…. A mere….

He smiled.

'Her smiles are so beautiful…'

'I think I… I think… I…I-I…'

She was smiling up at him.

'I...'

She was such an extraordinary creature. At first she was shocked, holding his hand and checking him for life-threatening wounds, and the next, she was smiling, just holding his hand, and checking him for a smile in return.

'I-I…'

"I like you!"

"Huh?"

"Ne, didn't you say before that you were sleeping or something?"

"Huh?"

'She… likes me…'

Should that hurt?

"I could hear someone mumbling some numbers. 1, 567, 1, 568 and so forth. Was that you, Lee-san?"

"N-numbers?"

'She…'

Or was it supposed to satisfy him?

'She…she…'

"LEE-SAN!"

"Wha'?"

"Gomen, did I startle you? You were spacing out! Here, look I got them."

"Wha… Got what, Sakura-san?"

"My basket, Lee-san. You know? I was telling you about my friend Ino-chan, and how I made these for her?"

"S-sou…"

'Basket? Wow, pretty…'

"They are really very nice, Sakura-san."

Her smile stretched wider, her eyes closing in smile.

And yet that only pained him more.

'But why…?'

"Sakura…-san."

"Hm? She took her earlier position, plopping down beside him.

"Aren't you afraid of me?"

"Why would I be afraid of you?"

Lee was at that moment in a very awkward position. His legs were oddly bent, and his arms were hoisted so that he wouldn't put any more pressure on his third butt cheek.

Using his one hand, he concentrated his strength into it, using it to bring his body into the air, to swing round his legs and heave them under him, so that he was now cross-legged with both hands clutching onto the grass in the middle part of his legs were a gap came through.

"Aren't you afraid with the way I look?"

She looked him up and down from his crouched form. Even with all that movement, he still didn't seem too comfortable.

"No," She raised a brow. "What's wrong with the way you look?"

Slightly aggravated, he turned to her with a pleading look on his face, wanting her to just spill out the truth.

"Please, Sakura-san. You are a very nice person, but I don't need your sympathy. Aren't you grossed out with my eyebrows, and my eyelashes?"

He was about to explode when he received the innocent, very bewildered look of 'Lee-san, I don't know what you're talking about'.

His arms flared out, waving them around like the lead character from chicken run. "Can't you see that my eyebrows are REALLY thick, and of ALL the numbers in the world, kami-sama blessed me with THREE eyelashes PER. EYE?"

Sakura scrunched her little button nose cutely, her eyes catching the late suns gleam, a beautiful glow warming her face.

Was Kami-sama missing an angel or something?

"Thick brows?" She placed a warm hand onto his fore-head. "Lee-san. Are you feeling okay? Everyone has thick brows, don't you know?"

It felt as if he was catapulted to heaven, and then immediately brought back down again. It was just one of those times when he didn't know whether he wanted to strangle her, or throw her in sugar.

What the hell was he supposed to do or say to a response like that?

"Sa…Sakura…-san. Not everyone has thick-brows. There's only one other person in Konoha that have thick brows like I do, and that's Gai-sensei."

"Gai-sensei? See, I told you everyone has thick brows!"

He sweat-dropped.

"Demo, that's only one other person…"

"No, not true! I'll have thick brows when I'm older! I'm just too young. How old are you Lee-san?"

"I'm 12."

"I'm 11!"

"So you're only one year younger then…" He said softly.

"It still means I'm younger!"

"Take… Mama for instance! Eh, no… she doesn't have thick brows… Yeah Papa…! Doesn't have thick brows either…" Looking to the side, a tapping finger was pacing on her chin, her own brows furrowed in deep thought.

"You're not going anywhere with this, are you Sakura-san…"

'Thank-you…. For making me feel…'

"I got it!" A confident look pulled at her little bunny face, a thumbs up fisted into an open palm.

"There's this guy, who has a green puffy coat like every other ninja, and his eyebrows are thick just like yours, and they are just like how mine will grow to be! SEE! I told you people have thick brows, not just you!"

"That's the guy I'm talking about… Gai-sensei."

"SEE! We BOTH agree that other thick-brows exist in the world! HA HA HA HA! YOU LOSE! HA HA!"

Young Lee's 'thick-brows' pulled upwards at the tips, trying to lessen the risk of salty tears to fall at this happy time.

His head bowed, flaying black bangs flew down for his comfort, curtaining his eyes. A sour smile came upon his lips. He could taste the tears.

'Yes, Sakura-san… I lose.'

Before long, Lee began to wail. Cascading tears flowed down, his clenching on the grass not yet ceasing.

"L-Lee-san!" In concern, little Sakura practically jumped off the grass and held Lee by his shoulders. Getting down in front of him, she tried to peer into the dark waters of his ebony hair, and into the pools of his eyes.

Without much help of getting hm to look at her, she tried reasoning with him.

"Ne! If you stop crying, I'll get you s-some… erm… ramen! I'll get you some of that ne? We'll eat out, Just you and me! I have some change that papa gave me for pocket money, hora!"

She dug into the folds of her trouser pocket, and fished out change enough for two bowls of miso ramen.

Did she just ask him out on a date? Let's recall!

-Recalling-

"…We'll eat out, Just you and me!..."

-Recalling end-

Oh my kami-sama, she just did!

'She… she even wants to… she doesn't mind…'

"Lee-san!"

'…being seen with me…'

'Okay, reasoning not good! N-ne! Wake up will you, I need your help!'

'..zzZZZZz keh…zzZZZZZzzzz'

Rolling her ample green eyes, little Sakura looked frantically around while trying to figure out one of her many plans.

"That's it!"

Then an idea struck her.

And something must of struck Lee as well, because it seems that he was now yelling louder then before.

Kneeling in front of Lee carefully, she cupped under his sullen chin with both hands. The clutch Lee had intensified with the feel of her cupping his chin, all wet with his tears.

'S-Sakura-san… why…?'

While running plentiful ideas around in circles, she took the easiest option that always had a big impact on her. Her mother had done it whenever she would accidentally let her eyes slip with tears at drastic times, when the bullying had gone too far she brought it back as a burden at home.

It encouraged her, healed her, and made her look on.

A simple action, with no words.

Smiling down at the bowed head of twiggy ash hair, she done the one thing she thought possible, and didn't think twice about it.

She kissed him.

-br-

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A/n: NEXT CHAPTER WILL BE! –Da-duh-daaahhh-

-br-

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Preview shot:

"Ne? Mina-san, I have a boy I like now!"

"Haahhh? Could it be…Sasuke-kun?"

"…Sasuke…kun?"

Oh no! What will happen? Is Lee already out of the picture? –Gasp- Find out! Next time on—Twice, will the lotus bloom.

Arigatou gozaimas!


End file.
